What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft lost directional control on landing, ran off the rwy, and struck a ditch, other circumstances are unknown. (-23) the pilot was landing to runway 31 with a quartering left headwind. The approach was normal and so was the touchdown. The winds were estimated to be approx. 220 degrees at about 10 knots. As the tailwheel lowered to the runway surface, the a/c started to weather vane to the left (into the wind). The pilot elected to attempt a return to flgiht conditions and applied power for takeoff. As the a/c became light, or started to leave the ground (the pilot is unsure) the aircraft turned downwind, lost lift and impacted the side of a ditch. (Comments from inspectorprivacy data omitted *the impact of the accident severly bent the engine firewall with the enigne then angling downward with the lower engine cowl severly crushed. The main landing gear were also pushed backward and rolled upward. A/c maintenance or a/c design was not causal to this accident. Pilot skill/judgement was primarily causal due to low tailwheel a/c flying time and landing with wind gusts.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING, RAN OFF THE RWY, AND STRUCK A DITCH, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (-23) THE PILOT WAS LANDING TO RUNWAY 31 WITH A QUARTERING LEFT HEADWIND. THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL AND SO WAS THE TOUCHDOWN. THE WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE APPROX. 220 DEGREES AT ABOUT 10 KNOTS. AS THE TAILWHEEL LOWERED TO THE RUNWAY SURFACE, THE A/C STARTED TO WEATHER VANE TO THE LEFT (INTO THE WIND). THE PILOT ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A RETURN TO FLGIHT CONDITIONS AND APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF. AS THE A/C BECAME LIGHT, OR STARTED TO LEAVE THE GROUND (THE PILOT IS UNSURE) THE AIRCRAFT TURNED DOWNWIND, LOST LIFT AND IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A DITCH. (COMMENTS FROM INSPECTOR^PRIVACY DATA OMI^ *THE IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT SEVERLY BENT THE ENGINE FIREWALL WITH THE ENIGNE THEN ANGLING DOWNWARD WITH THE LOWER ENGINE COWL SEVERLY CRUSHED. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE ALSO PUSHED BACKWARD AND ROLLED UPWARD. A/C MAINTENANCE OR A/C DESIGN WAS NOT CAUSAL TO THIS ACCIDENT. PILOT SKILL/JUDGEMENT WAS PRIMARILY CAUSAL DUE TO LOW TAILWHEEL A/C FLYING TIME AND LANDING WITH WIND GUSTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.