What happened
On August 9, 2018, a Piper PA18 aircraft, registration N104CC, was performing a wheel landing on runway 25 at Raton, New Mexico. The pilot reported that the right main landing gear touched the runway first, followed by the left main gear. During the landing roll, the aircraft encountered a wind gust from the left. This caused the airplane to ground-loop to the left. In an attempt to correct the movement, the pilot applied full right rudder and braking. Despite these actions, the aircraft exited the left side of the runway, causing the right wing to strike the ground. There were no injuries resulting from the accident.
The investigation
Investigators reviewed the weather conditions at the time of the event. While the pilot noted wind socks indicated a 5 to 10-knot right quartering headwind, the METAR reported winds from 210 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have prevented normal operation of the aircraft. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, the right aileron, and the right elevator.