What happened
The pilot was performing a landing to the north on a 3500-foot asphalt runway covered with gravel. Weather conditions at the time consisted of a wind from the west at 5 knots.
According to the pilot, the aircraft touched down within the first quarter of the runway. In an attempt to correct for what the pilot perceived as an apparent left crosswind, he applied left aileron. This maneuver resulted in a loss of directional control, causing the Cessna 180K to depart from the right side of the runway. The aircraft subsequently entered a ditch running parallel to the runway, where it overturned. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical difficulties with the aircraft prior to the incident. However, a later examination of the aircraft revealed that the left main wheel tire was blown.