What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot departed khjo to practice takeoffs and landings. On his first approach to runway 32, he made a wheel landing and reported that the aircraft lost directional control as the tailwheel touched down. He applied braking and opposite rudder followed by application of full power in an attempt to go around. The aircraft departed the runway in a right turn at midfield, nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was uninjured but the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the vertical empennage and wings. The pilot had recently purchased the aircraft and had obtained 5.2 hours of training including a solo endorsement limited to no xwinds and no passengers. The tailwheel had been reported as difficult to steer on ground and had been inspected and repaired by a mechanic. The pilot reported that it was still difficult to steer after maintenance. NWS wx reports at hjo indicated a quartering tailwind of approx 5-6 knots for runway 32, 1/2 hour before and after the time of the accident. Airport officials reported the accident to the FAA on the following day after removing the aircraft from the accident site.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED KHJO TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ON HIS FIRST APPROACH TO RUNWAY 32, HE MADE A WHEEL LANDING AND REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AS THE TAILWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN. HE APPLIED BRAKING AND OPPOSITE RUDDER FOLLOWED BY APPLICATION OF FULL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY IN A RIGHT TURN AT MIDFIELD, NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED BUT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL EMPENNAGE AND WINGS. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT AND HAD OBTAINED 5.2 HOURS OF TRAINING INCLUDING A SOLO ENDORSEMENT LIMITED TO NO XWINDS AND NO PASSENGERS. THE TAILWHEEL HAD BEEN REPORTED AS DIFFICULT TO STEER ON GROUND AND HAD BEEN INSPECTED AND REPAIRED BY A MECHANIC. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT TO STEER AFTER MAINTENANCE. NWS WX REPORTS AT HJO INDICATED A QUARTERING TAILWIND OF APPROX 5-6 KNOTS FOR RUNWAY 32, 1/2 HOUR BEFORE AND AFTER THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AIRPORT OFFICIALS REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE FAA ON THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER REMOVING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.