What happened
The pilot reported that during the landing phase, the left wing of the aircraft made contact with tall grass located along the side of the runway strip. This initial contact caused the aircraft to swerve sharply to the left. In an attempt to regain control and correct the situation, the pilot applied braking action using the right brake.
However, the braking effectiveness was significantly compromised due to the wet grass surface conditions. As a result, the pilot was unable to stop the lateral movement. The aircraft subsequently ground looped, spinning uncontrollably until it skidded off the paved surface and came to rest in a nearby ditch. Upon impact, the landing gear collapsed under the force of the crash.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical condition of the aircraft following the incident. Examination revealed that the landing gear had collapsed during the skidding process. The pilot's report indicated that the primary issue was the loss of directional control due to ineffective braking on the wet grass surface after the initial wing strike.
Findings
Contributing factors to this accident included the presence of tall grass along the side of the strip, which caused the initial deviation. Additionally, the wet conditions of the grass reduced friction, rendering standard braking procedures ineffective for correcting a ground loop in this specific environment.