What happened
A pilot recently purchased a taildragger aircraft and requested a flight around the pattern with the previous owner to familiarize himself with the new machine. The pilot noted that he did not possess a current medical certificate or a current Bi Part 61 flight review (BFR). The passenger, who was the former owner, stated he had informed the new owner that he was not current in this specific aircraft.
During the takeoff ground roll, the pilot glanced down at the instruments. Upon looking back up, the aircraft was already departing the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that the left wheel struck a large hole caused by rain wash at the left edge of the pavement. This impact sheared off the landing gear and caused damage to the left wing.
The passenger provided a consistent account, stating that as the tail lifted off the runway during the initial takeoff, the aircraft entered a ground loop, which led to the structural failure of the landing gear and the bending of the wing.