What happened
The pilot performed a normal approach and a wheel landing to the north, guided by a wind sock indicating a left quartering headwind of 10 knots. Immediately after the tail wheel made contact with the runway, the aircraft began to shimmy. This caused the airplane to veer to the left, prompting the pilot to attempt a correction using the right brake.
Following this correction, the aircraft veered to the right and struck a small embankment. The momentum caused the plane to spin around to the right, eventually coming to rest on a southerly heading. A passenger with a pilot rating provided a statement corroborating the pilot's account, though they noted that the wind shifted suddenly at the moment the tail wheel touched the ground. There were no injuries reported in the incident.
The investigation
FAA inspectors examined the tail wheel and found no apparent previous damage. Damage to the aircraft was limited to the left elevator, the right wing, and the main landing gear.