What happened
The pilot intended to land on runway 19 at the destination airport; however, that runway was closed. Consequently, the pilot executed an approach and landing on runway 13. Conditions included a crosswind component of 15 knots from the right. The pilot determined that both the aircraft's capabilities and personal proficiency were sufficient for these conditions.
Upon touchdown, the pilot applied full rudder input and braking to maintain directional control along the centerline. Shortly after, the aircraft encountered an atmospheric gust. This disturbance caused the aircraft to swerve sharply to the right, leading to a departure from the paved surface. During the excursion, the left wing and the horizontal stabilizer struck the ground, resulting in damage to both components.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the airframe revealed a critical mechanical failure within the tailwheel assembly. Specifically, the latch spring identified as Scott part number 3222 had failed. This component is essential for maintaining proper steering geometry in the tailwheel configuration.
The investigation determined that with the latch spring failed, the tailwheel mechanism would inadvertently steer the aircraft to the right. Crucially, the failure eliminated any steering capability to the left. This mechanical limitation prevented the pilot from counteracting the rightward yaw induced by the gust and crosswind, making recovery impossible once the swerve began.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was the failure of the tailwheel latch spring. This defect created a unilateral steering bias that could not be corrected by the pilot. While the crosswind and gust were within operational limits, the mechanical failure rendered the aircraft uncontrollable in the critical phase of ground handling.