What happened
The pilot, who held a private certificate with 108 hours of total flight time, had received checkout instruction in a taildragger-equipped aircraft on the day prior to the incident. During a local flight, the pilot reported losing control while attempting to land. The loss of control occurred as the aircraft encountered gusting crosswind conditions.
Upon touchdown, the main landing gear assembly failed due to skidding overload. The strut subsequently dug into the asphalt runway surface. This mechanical failure contributed to the aircraft rolling onto its left wing and nose.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of control and the subsequent structural damage. Examination confirmed that the main landing gear assembly failed under the stress of skidding overload after the initial loss of directional control.