What happened
Following the landing phase, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of directional control. The airplane veered significantly to the right, leaving the paved surface and coming to rest on its nose gear. The pilot reported that there was a left crosswind component of approximately 10 knots at the time of the incident.
The investigation
Upon examination of the aircraft, it was determined that the lower rudder hinge point had completely separated from the vertical tail post. This structural failure is critical because the steerable tail wheel assembly is attached to the rudder horns in close proximity to this specific hinge location.
Findings
The separation of the lower rudder hinge point resulted in the total loss of both primary rudder control authority and the ability to steer the tail wheel. Consequently, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the rollout phase.