Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during the landing touchdown of a tailwheel-equipped airplane in quartering tailwind conditions, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder and advanced the throttle to full forward in an attempt to correct the veer. However, the increase in power appeared to exacerbate the situation.
Pilot Actions
Sensing that power was worsening the veer, the pilot reduced power and applied left brake to arrest the veer. Despite these inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the right. The right main landing gear lifted off the runway, and the left wing impacted the ground.
Runway Excursion
Following the wing strike, the airplane veered off the runway to the right. The aircraft began to porpoise due to rough terrain, causing the left main landing gear to collapse. Subsequently, the nose of the airplane impacted the ground.
Damage and Mechanical Status
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Weather Conditions
A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 4 miles southwest of the airport showed that approximately 15 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 280 degrees true at 6 knots. About 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 300 degrees true at 12 knots with gusts to 15 knots. The airplane landed on runway 19.