Incident Overview
A pilot flying a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported encountering a strong crosswind during landing on a grass runway. The wind pushed the aircraft to the left side of the strip. As the pilot continued the landing roll, he observed small grass mounds that were higher than the surrounding mowed grass. These mounds turned out to be runway lights. The airplane subsequently struck one of the runway lights and ground looped to the right.
Damage
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation.
Weather Conditions
An automated weather observation station located 3 miles south of the accident site recorded wind conditions approximately 38 minutes after the event. The wind was from 270 degrees at 15 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 24.