Incident Description
During landing with a direct crosswind from the right, a tailwheel airplane departed the right side of the runway and entered a ground loop. The event occurred as the airplane touched down and began to swerve uncontrollably.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that the tailwheel could freely swivel to the right, which eliminated any steering capability to the left. This free castering was attributed to wear on one side of the latch spring, accompanied by corresponding wear in the spring notch within the steering arm assembly. Despite the tailwheel issue, the rudder was found to have full travel available in both directions, indicating no restriction in rudder control.
Probable Cause
The probable cause is the wear on the latch spring and the spring notch in the steering arm assembly, which allowed the tailwheel to freely swivel to the right and prevented left steering during the crosswind landing.