Accident Details
The pilot reported that the aircraft had been out of restoration for 12 hours prior to the accident. During the landing rollout, the airplane veered to the right, departed the runway, and collided with trees. The pilot notified authorities of the accident on March 7, 2005.
Investigation Findings
Postimpact examination of the tailwheel assembly revealed that during reassembly, two shims had been installed in reverse orientation. This misinstallation disabled the steering capability of the tailwheel assembly. Additionally, the master cylinder on the left brake pedal had separated, and investigators determined that its safety cotter key was missing. The impact destroyed the engine cowling, bent the left gearbox, and wrinkled the empennage.