What happened
The accident sequence began shortly after the airplane touched down on the runway. As the pilot initiated the rollout phase, he became distracted while attempting to retract the flaps. This loss of directional control caused the aircraft to veer off the right side of the paved surface. The plane subsequently ground-looped, a maneuver where the aircraft pivots sharply around its main landing gear.
During this uncontrolled rotation, significant structural damage occurred. The left wing and the elevator sustained damage as a result of the ground loop. The pilot reported that environmental conditions were calm at the time of the incident, with no wind affecting the aircraft's handling during the critical phase of flight.
The investigation
Following the event, the pilot provided a statement regarding the condition of the aircraft. He confirmed that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane or its engine prior to or during the accident sequence. The damage was attributed entirely to the ground loop rather than any pre-existing technical defect.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the loss of control was pilot distraction during a high-workload phase of flight. The act of retracting flaps immediately after touchdown diverted attention from maintaining directional control on the runway surface. This lapse in situational awareness led directly to the veer-off and subsequent ground loop. Directional control was lost due to this distraction, resulting in the reported damage to the airframe components.