PA28 PLT ENCOUNTERS WIND GUSTS AND A XWIND DURING THE LNDG FLARE AT MVC. ACFT CTL IS LOST AND THE ACFT DEPARTS THE RWY AND HITS A TELEPHONE JUNCTION BOX; DAMAGING THE WING.

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ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 21 AT MVC; AL; THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A DOWNWARD GUST OF WIND CAUSING A FASTER THAN USUAL DSCNT. PWR WAS IMMEDIATELY APPLIED TO ARREST THE RATE OF DSCNT. SIMULTANEOUSLY A XWIND COMPONENT ACTED UPON THE R SIDE OF THE ACFT AND R WING. THE TORQUE EFFECT CAUSED BY THE INCREASE IN PWR COMBINED WITH THE XWIND COMPONENT RESULTED IN THE ACFT HDG TURNING 30-45 DEGS L OF RWY HDG. THE ACFT WAS IN A FLARING ATTITUDE MAKING THE FLT CTLS SLUGGISH AND INEFFECTIVE TO CORRECT THE ACFT HDG. THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY AND ROLLED THROUGH A SHALLOW DITCH AND EXITED THE OTHER SIDE. JUST PRIOR TO COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP THE L WING STRUCK A TELEPHONE JUNCTION BOX CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE L ROOT FAIRING. AFTER CONDUCTING A DAMAGE ASSESSMENT; THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CONDUCT A ONE TIME FLT TO RETURN THE ACFT TO ITS HOME AIRFIELD. THE ACFT RETURNED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 697042: THE PLT I WAS FLYING WITH HOLDS AN AIRFRAME AND PWR PLANT GENERAL REPAIRMAN'S CERTIFICATE AND TOGETHER WE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRFRAME WAS AIRWORTHY AND FLEW IT BACK WITHOUT INCIDENT. LOOKING BACK I DON'T THINK IT WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA TO FLY THE AIRPLANE HOME. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGE TO THE ENG MOUNT; MAIN SPARS AND OTHER AREAS THAT A VISUAL INSPECTION COULD NOT DETECT.