Narrative:

I was landing at ZZZ; holding a side-slip using full flaps (40 degrees) into wind coming from 190 degrees and 5 KTS (about a 5 KT crosswind from the south or my right side). I was about to touch down when I hit turbulence (probably mechanical or windshear turbulence due to buildings and terrain). I reacted to the turbulence by relaxing my bank angle; and I believe a gust of turbulence got under my right wing and flipped the airplane; causing the left wingtip to strike the runway. The airplane was very difficult to control; with various wheels contacting the ground at different times. The airplane was veering off the runway to the left and was heading for runway lights and the PAPI. I applied full power and went around. On climb out; as I raised the flaps; I noticed the skin on the upper surface of the left wing was crumpled. I was concerned about structural damage to the wing and decided to fly a modified traffic pattern; using very gradual turns to minimize stress on the wing. I landed without incident; using exactly the same crosswind technique. I think I might have avoided the problem by using less flaps and carrying more airspeed into the landing; although I was almost on the runway and there was essentially no headwind component to the wind. I possibly overreacted to the turbulence; allowing the upwind wing to get high enough to allow the gust to get underneath it. My decision to go around (essentially instinctual) was possibly not the best response because if the structural damage to the wing had been more severe; I may have experienced an in-flight failure of the left wing. I didn't know that the wing had struck the runway when I went around; although there were several bumps. Maybe I should have checked for damage before continuing to go around; but I was pretty busy controling the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT OF LOW WING LSA STRIKES WING ON LANDING APCH. GOES AROUND AND THEN NOTES WRINKLES ON TOP OF LEFT WING INDICATING DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE IMPACT. LANDS SAFELY.

Narrative: I WAS LNDG AT ZZZ; HOLDING A SIDE-SLIP USING FULL FLAPS (40 DEGS) INTO WIND COMING FROM 190 DEGS AND 5 KTS (ABOUT A 5 KT XWIND FROM THE S OR MY R SIDE). I WAS ABOUT TO TOUCH DOWN WHEN I HIT TURB (PROBABLY MECHANICAL OR WINDSHEAR TURB DUE TO BUILDINGS AND TERRAIN). I REACTED TO THE TURB BY RELAXING MY BANK ANGLE; AND I BELIEVE A GUST OF TURB GOT UNDER MY R WING AND FLIPPED THE AIRPLANE; CAUSING THE L WINGTIP TO STRIKE THE RWY. THE AIRPLANE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CTL; WITH VARIOUS WHEELS CONTACTING THE GND AT DIFFERENT TIMES. THE AIRPLANE WAS VEERING OFF THE RWY TO THE L AND WAS HEADING FOR RWY LIGHTS AND THE PAPI. I APPLIED FULL PWR AND WENT AROUND. ON CLBOUT; AS I RAISED THE FLAPS; I NOTICED THE SKIN ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE L WING WAS CRUMPLED. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE WING AND DECIDED TO FLY A MODIFIED TFC PATTERN; USING VERY GRADUAL TURNS TO MINIMIZE STRESS ON THE WING. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT; USING EXACTLY THE SAME XWIND TECHNIQUE. I THINK I MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED THE PROB BY USING LESS FLAPS AND CARRYING MORE AIRSPD INTO THE LNDG; ALTHOUGH I WAS ALMOST ON THE RWY AND THERE WAS ESSENTIALLY NO HEADWIND COMPONENT TO THE WIND. I POSSIBLY OVERREACTED TO THE TURB; ALLOWING THE UPWIND WING TO GET HIGH ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE GUST TO GET UNDERNEATH IT. MY DECISION TO GO AROUND (ESSENTIALLY INSTINCTUAL) WAS POSSIBLY NOT THE BEST RESPONSE BECAUSE IF THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE WING HAD BEEN MORE SEVERE; I MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED AN INFLT FAILURE OF THE L WING. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE WING HAD STRUCK THE RWY WHEN I WENT AROUND; ALTHOUGH THERE WERE SEVERAL BUMPS. MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE CHKED FOR DAMAGE BEFORE CONTINUING TO GO AROUND; BUT I WAS PRETTY BUSY CTLING THE AIRPLANE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.