Light sport pilot reported a loss of directional control on the landing roll when the wind shifted as the tail wheel came down.

Date: 2025-03 · Aircraft: Light Sport Aircraft · Phase: landing

Anomalies: ground-event-encounter-loss-of-aircraft-control|ground-event-encounter-weather-turbulence|ground-excursion-runway|inflight-event-encounter-weather-turbulence

Synopsis

Light sport pilot reported a loss of directional control on the landing roll when the wind shifted as the tail wheel came down.

Narrative

During approach to land high winds and wind shear were reported by the Control Tower at ZZZ. Tower advised of winds showing 26G36 but just about equal to the runway heading on XXR. The wind sock on final agreed with this.I was cleared to land on XXR and proceeded to do so. The landing was a non event and I successfully completed a wheel landing. As airspeed began to bleed off I allowed the tail wheel to touch down and applied full back-pressure on the stick as it touched down. As this happened the wind appeared to shift to ~260; at which point the aircraft weather-vaned into the wind and the aircraft ground looped. I was able to come to a complete stop on the edge of the runway without any damage to the airframe or powerplant.As I began my taxi off the runway; Tower asked me if I needed assistance which I did not and I replied no. Tower then asked if I had kept the aircraft on the runway to which I also replied no. I am certain the main wheels were on the runway for the whole event; however in retrospect I am not entirely sure the tail wheel stayed on the runway or not as the aircraft came to a stop on the edge south edge of the runway with the aircraft facing northbound.No damage was done to the aircraft or any runway edge lights and no contact was made with the ground except for the tires of the aircraft.I taxied to the hangar without issue; and that was the end of the event.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.