What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and privacy data omitted of aircraft reported he began flight departing from a private airstrip in kent, WA, and picked up additional passengers at thun field (plu) for a flight to Hood River airport. The passenger sitting in the right pilot seat after departing plu was the mechanic who also has maintained the airplane for many years. He holds a private pilot license but does not hold a medical certificate at age 89. PIC reported he gave throw over yoke to this person shortly after take off from plu at about 3000 ft MSL, and let him fly the plane until passing over cascade locks, OR, at about 2500 ft MSL. PIC reported flying the plane himself from cascade locks to Hood River airport (4S2). PIC reported landing aircraft on main wheels on rwy 25 at 4S2 in first 3rd of rwy on centerline, and then letting the tail come down at about 30 mph. PIC reported that when tailwheel contacted rwy the aircraft abruptly lurched about 40 degrees left. He reported that he thought the tailwheel stuck sideways or a rudder cable broke. PIC reported locking up right brake to stop the ground loop to left, but was unable to prevent the aircraft from leaving rwy 25 to left of rwy. Right landing gear leg folded under fuselage, and right wing tip contacted rwy. Aircraft skidded off rwy and ended up nose down in dirt next to rwy 25. Passengers and pilot evacuated aircraft with out injury.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF AIRCRAFT REPORTED HE BEGAN FLIGHT DEPARTING FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP IN KENT, WA, AND PICKED UP ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS AT THUN FIELD (PLU) FOR A FLIGHT TO HOOD RIVER AIRPORT. THE PASSENGER SITTING IN THE RIGHT PILOT SEAT AFTER DEPARTING PLU WAS THE MECHANIC WHO ALSO HAS MAINTAINED THE AIRPLANE FOR MANY YEARS. HE HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE BUT DOES NOT HOLD A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AT AGE 89. PIC REPORTED HE GAVE THROW OVER YOKE TO THIS PERSON SHORTLY AFTER TAKE OFF FROM PLU AT ABOUT 3000 FT MSL, AND LET HIM FLY THE PLANE UNTIL PASSING OVER CASCADE LOCKS, OR, AT ABOUT 2500 FT MSL. PIC REPORTED FLYING THE PLANE HIMSELF FROM CASCADE LOCKS TO HOOD RIVER AIRPORT (4S2). PIC REPORTED LANDING AIRCRAFT ON MAIN WHEELS ON RWY 25 AT 4S2 IN FIRST 3RD OF RWY ON CENTERLINE, AND THEN LETTING THE TAIL COME DOWN AT ABOUT 30 MPH. PIC REPORTED THAT WHEN TAILWHEEL CONTACTED RWY THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY LURCHED ABOUT 40 DEGREES LEFT. HE REPORTED THAT HE THOUGHT THE TAILWHEEL STUCK SIDEWAYS OR A RUDDER CABLE BROKE. PIC REPORTED LOCKING UP RIGHT BRAKE TO STOP THE GROUND LOOP TO LEFT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM LEAVING RWY 25 TO LEFT OF RWY. RIGHT LANDING GEAR LEG FOLDED UNDER FUSELAGE, AND RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED RWY. AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF RWY AND ENDED UP NOSE DOWN IN DIRT NEXT TO RWY 25. PASSENGERS AND PILOT EVACUATED AIRCRAFT WITH OUT INJURY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.