Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 75; Flight Crew Total 625; Flight Crew Type 375
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Inflight Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Weather
I sustained some flap damage (left side flap) on a go-around at my home airport after being hit with some wind shear/gust during my initial landing attempt.  I was returning. The tower said the wind was oscillating from 290 degrees to 360 degrees. There was low level wind shear TAF had gusts expected from 8-25 kts. Tower didn't respond to my wind check request on short final but the wind sock at that time indicated a headwind quartering from about 45 degrees left. In full landing configuration; at landing speed; just before my initial touchdown I was hit with the first big shear/gust that picked the plane up several feet and then immediately dropped it back down to the pavement. The plane bounced; much higher than I have ever experienced. That was followed immediately by another gust that did the same even as I added in a small bit of power to settle the descent rate. After the second big bounce I initiated a go-around; to avoid the risk of a prop strike; as is always taught in [this kind of aircraft]. I was hit with a hard third gust from 90 degrees to the left that pushed the plane off the edge of the runway on the right side. I was below stall speed in ground effect; and therefore was unable to risk dropping the left wing to try to return to centerline (where I had been otherwise); or I would have stalled for sure; even in ground effect. I had full power in and just kept my heading; immediately retracting the gear to help gain speed and altitude. Flaps were still full and I was still barely above the ground; and my left flap clipped a runway sign; knocking over the sign and my left flap.  I successfully did a go-around despite the damaged flap and landed; and exited the runway without further incident. There was also a slight tail strike which appears to have only bent and somewhat sheared/filed down the tail tie down ring. There was no personal injury or any other property damage.
A GA pilot attempted to land at his home airport in gusty conditions; but after a bounced landing attempted a go-around then struck a runway sign as the aircraft struggled out of ground effect. A flap was damaged on the go-around.