Incident Overview
On April 2, 2011, at approximately 1030 central daylight time, a Reeves Avid Mark IV, registration N6313T, veered off runway 36 during the landing roll at North Central Missouri Regional Airport (MO8) in Brookfield, Missouri. The airplane subsequently impacted a drainage ditch. The private pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not operating on a flight plan. The flight originated from the pilot's private airstrip near Brookfield, Missouri, about 1010 and was en route to MO8.
Tailwheel Modification
The pilot reported that he had changed the tailwheel to a Matco tailwheel, part number WHLT-8W, based on internet research. This change resulted in an increase in tire width. The pilot explained that the Matco tailwheel was selected so that the tailwheel would "float" during landing rollout on turf runways. According to the pilot, the Matco tailwheel had accumulated a total of 44 hours and 97 cycles at the time of the accident.
Sequence of Events
The pilot stated that shortly after a three-point touchdown on runway 36, the tailwheel experienced a severe shimmy. The airplane then started to pull to the left. Despite the pilot's application of right rudder, the airplane continued moving toward the left side of the runway. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted in the drainage ditch.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. No other damage was reported.