What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot was returning to rocky mountain metropolitan airport (kbjc) in broomfield, CO; from performing a time building flight. While in the pattern at kbjc the pilot observed that he would be landing with a crosswind greater than what he was comfortable with. The pilot amended his clearance, departed the pattern, and flew north to Vance Brand Airport, (lmo) in Longmont, CO. The pilot obtained weather information from the lmo AWOS-3 with reports of calm winds. Once in the pattern for lmo runway 11, the pilot noted that the winds were out of the south. The pilot report that right before touchdown on runway 11 a gust of wind turned the nose of the aircraft to the left. The pilot added power but did not compensate with rudder. The lack of compensation increased the turn to the left. The pilot stated that he panicked and tried to initiate a go around. As the aircraft became airborne, the left main gear and left horizontal stabilizer contacted a taxiway sign. The aircraft came to rest in the grass next to the runway. Subsequent inspection revealed that the contact to the left main strut caused damage to the left wing main spar.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO ROCKY MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (KBJC) IN BROOMFIELD, CO; FROM PERFORMING A TIME BUILDING FLIGHT. WHILE IN THE PATTERN AT KBJC THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT HE WOULD BE LANDING WITH A CROSSWIND GREATER THAN WHAT HE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH. THE PILOT AMENDED HIS CLEARANCE, DEPARTED THE PATTERN, AND FLEW NORTH TO VANCE BRAND AIRPORT, (LMO) IN LONGMONT, CO. THE PILOT OBTAINED WEATHER INFORMATION FROM THE LMO AWOS-3 WITH REPORTS OF CALM WINDS. ONCE IN THE PATTERN FOR LMO RUNWAY 11, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SOUTH. THE PILOT REPORT THAT RIGHT BEFORE TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 11 A GUST OF WIND TURNED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT ADDED POWER BUT DID NOT COMPENSATE WITH RUDDER. THE LACK OF COMPENSATION INCREASED THE TURN TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PANICKED AND TRIED TO INITIATE A GO AROUND. AS THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER CONTACTED A TAXIWAY SIGN. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CONTACT TO THE LEFT MAIN STRUT CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING MAIN SPAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.