What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC woke up at approximately 4AM. Preflight was completed and aircraft was flown to a competition with an arrival around 8:45AM. PIC walked around the competition grounds for several hours until the competition ended at 5PM. PIC departed with no issues. PIC arrived at kdvt with no weather or wind to note. PIC stated he was feeling good, came into land, flared with a small bounce, when suddenly the aircraft began to ground loop, caught a wingtip, and flipped over.
Investigation revealed pilot has lengthy experience in tricycle gear aircraft as airline captain, but only 42 hours in his tailwheel aircraft. In my opinion, rudder his usage suffers from learning interference and pilot is a bit late on corrections. He was not used to conventional rudder corrections as what he's used to in tricycle gear. More CFI training could help, but he has declared he is converting his plane to a tricycle version.
Corrective action: no regulatory deviation occured. PIC is in the process of converting his aircraft to tricycle gear rather than conventional to eliminate the possibility of future issues. Counseling was also completed by ASI. I am satisfied the root cause has been addressed and the airman is returned to safe operation.
As the FAA filed it
PIC WOKE UP AT APPROXIMATELY 4AM. PREFLIGHT WAS COMPLETED AND AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN TO A COMPETITION WITH AN ARRIVAL AROUND 8:45AM. PIC WALKED AROUND THE COMPETITION GROUNDS FOR SEVERAL HOURS UNTIL THE COMPETITION ENDED AT 5PM. PIC DEPARTED WITH NO ISSUES. PIC ARRIVED AT KDVT WITH NO WEATHER OR WIND TO NOTE. PIC STATED HE WAS FEELING GOOD, CAME INTO LAND, FLARED WITH A SMALL BOUNCE, WHEN SUDDENLY THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO GROUND LOOP, CAUGHT A WINGTIP, AND FLIPPED OVER.
INVESTIGATION REVEALED PILOT HAS LENGTHY EXPERIENCE IN TRICYCLE GEAR AIRCRAFT AS AIRLINE CAPTAIN, BUT ONLY 42 HOURS IN HIS TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT. IN MY OPINION, RUDDER HIS USAGE SUFFERS FROM LEARNING INTERFERENCE AND PILOT IS A BIT LATE ON CORRECTIONS. HE WAS NOT USED TO CONVENTIONAL RUDDER CORRECTIONS AS WHAT HE'S USED TO IN TRICYCLE GEAR. MORE CFI TRAINING COULD HELP, BUT HE HAS DECLARED HE IS CONVERTING HIS PLANE TO A TRICYCLE VERSION.
CORRECTIVE ACTION: NO REGULATORY DEVIATION OCCURED. PIC IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING HIS AIRCRAFT TO TRICYCLE GEAR RATHER THAN CONVENTIONAL TO ELIMINATE THE POSSIBILITY OF FUTURE ISSUES. COUNSELING WAS ALSO COMPLETED BY ASI. I AM SATISFIED THE ROOT CAUSE HAS BEEN ADDRESSED AND THE AIRMAN IS RETURNED TO SAFE OPERATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.