What happened
During the landing phase at a gravel airstrip, a pilot was operating a tailwheel airplane equipped with tundra tires. The pilot reported encountering a crosswind from the left during the landing roll. While attempting to maintain the runway centerline, the pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the aircraft. As a result, the airplane veered off the runway to the right and encountered a shallow ditch, which caused the aircraft to nose over.
The investigation
The investigation reviewed the mechanical condition of the aircraft following the event. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical problems with the airplane. The impact with the ditch resulted in structural damage to the rudder and the wing lift struts.
Findings
At the time of the accident, a Special Weather Observation taken at the airport indicated winds from 290 degrees True (266 degrees magnetic) at 15 knots. The loss of control occurred during the landing roll on the gravel surface.