Incident Details
A recent aircraft incident involved a taildragger that was damaged during takeoff. The aircraft was newly purchased by the left seat pilot from the right seat pilot. The left seat pilot reported not having a medical certificate or a current Biennial Flight Review (BFR). He asked the right seat pilot to accompany him on a pattern flight to become familiar with the aircraft.
Pilot Statements
The right seat pilot stated that he informed the new owner that he himself was not current in the aircraft. During the takeoff ground roll, the left seat pilot glanced at the instruments. When he looked up, he found the aircraft departing the left side of the runway.
Sequence of Events
The left wheel encountered a large rain wash hole at the left pavement edge. This impact sheared off the landing gear and damaged the left wing. The left seat pilot noted that he had not flown taildragger aircraft in some time. According to the right seat pilot, during the first takeoff, the aircraft ground looped as the tail lifted off the runway, which also sheared off the landing gear and bent a wing.