Event Details
A student pilot, under the supervision of a certificated flight instructor (CFI), was conducting a landing on runway 18. The wind was reported as from 180 degrees at 10 knots. During the landing roll, while the student pilot was operating the controls, the airplane ground looped.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, an examination of the airplane disclosed that the tailwheel had slipped off its rim. The flight instructor believed that this failure was the initiating event for the ground loop. However, a subsequent inspection of the airplane did not determine whether the tailwheel dislodgement occurred before or as a consequence of the ground loop.
Investigation Findings
The investigation could not conclusively establish the sequence of events. The tailwheel slipping off its rim was identified as a possible precursor, but it could equally have been a result of the dynamic forces during the ground loop. No further causal factors were identified.