What happened
The incident occurred while an aircraft was attempting to land on a 1,600-foot agricultural strip. As the pilot approached the runway threshold, he recognized that the aircraft had excessive airspeed for the available landing distance. The departure end of the strip was obstructed by power lines, which eliminated the option of executing a go-around or overshooting the runway safely.
Faced with the risk of striking the power lines or continuing past the end of the strip into a ditch and road, the pilot made the decision to intentionally ground-loop the aircraft. This maneuver was executed to bring the aircraft to a stop within the confines of the available terrain. During the uncontrolled turn, the right main landing gear, the right wing, and the stabilizer sustained damage.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage confirmed that the structural failures were consistent with the forces generated during an intentional ground-loop maneuver. The damage was localized to the right side of the airframe, specifically affecting the landing gear assembly, the wing structure, and the empennage.