Accident Description
On the day after purchasing the tailwheel aircraft, the pilot in the left seat conducted two takeoffs and full-stop landings. While the takeoff rolls were uneventful, he experienced directional control difficulties during landing. To address this, the more experienced tailwheel pilot in the right seat agreed to perform a takeoff and landing while the left-seat pilot kept his hands and feet on the controls to feel the inputs.
Pilot Actions
The right-seat pilot noted "some difficulty" during the takeoff but was uncertain whether it resulted from the left-seat pilot's presence on the controls. During the subsequent landing, he touched down near the runway centerline, held the yoke full aft, and ensured the engine was at idle. The initial touchdown was uneventful, but shortly afterward the aircraft veered to the right. The pilot applied left rudder to correct, and when that proved insufficient, he applied heavy left brake. Despite these efforts, the aircraft continued to the right and exited the runway. As it departed the runway surface, the pilot also began applying right brake, and the aircraft nosed over onto its back.
Post-Accident Inspection
Inspection and testing of the aircraft revealed no evidence of brake malfunction or any anomaly in the rudder or tailwheel steering system that would have created an uncontrollable situation. The right-seat pilot had accumulated approximately 25 hours in this make and model but had not flown one in "many years."