What happened
During a flight operating under 14 CFR Part 91, a private pilot was performing a landing on an asphalt runway with a 5-knot wind from the right. During the initial landing roll, the tundra tire-equipped airplane abruptly veered to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation by applying left rudder, but the aircraft then veered abruptly to the left. In an attempt to straighten the aircraft, the pilot applied engine power, which caused the plane to lift off the runway.
Upon landing a second time, the aircraft once again veered abruptly to the right. After the pilot applied left rudder, the airplane sharply veered to the left and underwent a nose-over on the runway. The aircraft sustained damage to the wings, wing lift struts, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
The pilot stated that the wind conditions were not significant enough to cause the abrupt heading changes experienced during the landing rolls. A mechanic examined the tailwheel and noted it was possibly binding. However, an examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any mechanical malfunction.