Overview
During a checkout flight intended to familiarize a private pilot with a newly purchased airplane, the aircraft experienced a ground loop while attempting to land. The incident occurred when the tail wheel locked, rendering the rudder ineffective and causing the airplane to veer uncontrollably.
Flight Details
The purpose of the flight was for a certified flight instructor (CFI) to provide a checkout to the private pilot. The pilot had completed approximately four full stall landings prior to the accident landing. During each of those landings, the pilot consistently drifted to the left during the landing roll.
Incident Description
On the next landing attempt, the pilot touched down and again drifted to the left. The CFI instructed the pilot to input left rudder to correct the drift. However, the pilot was unable to steer because the tail wheel had become locked. As a result, the airplane began a long turn to the right and subsequently ground looped in the same direction.
Pilot Experience
The pilot had purchased the airplane the day before the accident and had accumulated a total of 3.6 hours of flight time in the same make and model. This limited experience in the specific aircraft type may have been a factor in the difficulty managing the directional control during landing.
Mechanical Status
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane, apart from the tail wheel locking issue that occurred during the landing roll. The locking of the tail wheel was the direct mechanical impediment that prevented the pilot from maintaining directional control.