What happened
The pilot performed a three-point landing, but during the subsequent landing roll, the aircraft drifted drastically toward the right side of the runway. In an attempt to maintain directional control, the pilot applied power to correct the veer; however, the aircraft exited the runway, impacted a brushy area, and descended down an embankment.
The investigation
Mechanical examination of the tailwheel assembly identified that the right side tailwheel rudder spring was missing. Additionally, the left side of the assembly was found hanging and was not connected.
Review of the aircraft logbooks showed that the most recent annual inspection had been completed on September 28, 1997. Since the aircraft was rebuilt in September 1997, it had accumulated more than 6.5 hours of flight time. Notably, the logbook entries prior to the 1997 inspection dated back to 1981.