Incident Summary
During the landing roll, the pilot applied the brakes, and the tailwheel-equipped airplane began to veer to the right. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued its rightward veer, departed the runway surface, and came to rest in a nose-low attitude on soft terrain.
Pilot Reports
The pilot initially reported that the airplane's brakes were operating incorrectly. However, in a later statement to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot indicated that there was nothing wrong with the brakes.
Examination Findings
An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found that the landing gear box had sustained substantial damage. Further inspection of the braking system revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Conclusion
No mechanical issues were identified with the braking system that could explain the veer. The cause of the runway excursion remains undetermined based on available information.