What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted 6MN9 rwy 12 the PIC was in the rear seat and his son was a passenger in the front seat. After taxing out to the runway, just prior to takeoff, the passenger in the front seat noticed that a kick panel mounted on the floor near the left rudder and heel brake had come loose. It had popped up and was wedged on top of the brake pedal. The passenger was able to reposition the panel back into place without the PIC having to shut the aircraft down. The subsequent takeoff and three touch and go’s at koeo were uneventful. On the fourth landing, when the tail wheel touched down they experienced a slight shimmy. The aircraft returned to 6MN9 and after touchdown about midway down runway 12, traveling at approximately 30 mph, the aircraft suddenly swerved violently to the left. The PIC was unable to maintain control and the aircraft left the grass strip. The main landing gear contacted gopher mounds, which caused the right main gear leg to collapse and the right wing to contact the ground.
As the FAA filed it
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’S AT KOEO WERE UNEVENTFUL. ON THE FOURTH LANDING, WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN THEY EXPERIENCED A SLIGHT SHIMMY. THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO 6MN9 AND AFTER TOUCHDOWN ABOUT MIDWAY DOWN RUNWAY 12, TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY SWERVED VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT. THE PIC WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE GRASS STRIP. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR CONTACTED GOPHER MOUNDS, WHICH CAUSED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR LEG TO COLLAPSE AND THE RIGHT WING TO CONTACT THE GROUND.
Other reports on N81545 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.