What happened
During the landing rollout on runway 14, the aircraft experienced a ground loop. Prior to the arrival, the pilot reviewed the automated surface observation system (ASOS) and noted the data was one hour old. To ensure accuracy, the pilot overflew the airport to observe the windsock, which indicated wind conditions 180 degrees different from the ASOS report. The pilot then contacted the Unicom operator, who confirmed that the winds were blowing in the opposite direction of the ASOS indication.
Upon landing, the wind shifted from a right quartering headwind to a right quarter and tailwind. This shift caused the aircraft to veer to the right, resulting in a ground loop and impact with a ditch. The incident resulted in no injuries to the pilot. The impact caused damage to the aircraft, specifically bending the left wing approximately 3 feet inboard of the wing tip.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed METAR reports for the St. Johns airport. At 1154, winds were reported from 260 degrees at 14 knots. The 1254 observation indicated winds from 300 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 15 knots, with variable winds noted between 230 and 030 degrees during that hour. No mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot prior to the accident.