What happened
The pilot reported completing a short cross-country flight from Camden, South Carolina, to Bennettsville, South Carolina. Upon initiating the landing roll on runway 24, the aircraft began to veer toward the right side of the pavement. The pilot attempted to correct the direction by applying steering input through the tail wheel mechanism, but these efforts were unsuccessful in maintaining the runway centerline.
The airplane departed the paved surface and ground looped. During this uncontrolled maneuver, the left wing struck the ground, resulting in damage to that portion of the airframe. The pilot later noted that the left brake master cylinder was low on fluid prior to the incident, which likely contributed to the brake failure.
The investigation
Post-incident examination revealed that the left brake did not engage when pressure was applied. The pilot confirmed that the left brake master cylinder was low on fluid, indicating a hydraulic issue that prevented proper braking function on the left side of the aircraft.