What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 28,2022, at 0848 EST, aircraft privacy data omitted, a thorp T-18 experienced a pilot-induced ground-loop upon touchdown at Pease international airport (psm), NH. The ground loop results in minor damage to the aircraft lt MLG, lt wingtip, lt flap, and lt wing skin.
The PIC reported: the purpose of the flight was to complete practice takeoffs and landings on a hard-surface runway at kpsm vs. the turf strip utilized at the home base of 7B3, hampton airfield. The flight departed shortly after 0815 EST from 7B3 and arrived at 0848 EST at kpsm. PIC was granted a straight-in long final for runway 34 from ATC. PIC reported the conditions were favorable at pattern altitude there was a slight cross-wind, requiring a crab to track toward the runway. On descent for touchdown, the wind was calm. The ceilings and visibility were good throughout. Touchdown was just after the numbers on runway 34. The aircraft was on speed and configured properly as the wheels touched down. Upon touchdown, the nose of the aircraft was not fully square to the runway – the aircraft was pointed in a left direction of the rwy centerline. Accordingly, the aircraft started traveling on the ground toward the left side of the rwy.
To get back on the centerline the PIC reported inputting right rudder but this input did not sufficiently bring the aircraft back to the centerline, so PIC inputted the right brake (in addition to right rudder) to help change the ground direction of the plane. The brake input caused the plane to change course more quickly than the PIC could counteract with opposite control. Accordingly, the tail of the aircraft turned forward, causing the plane to turn quickly to the right on its horizontal axis (ground loop).
This turning put significant stress on the left main gear causing the previously mentioned aircraft damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 28,2022, AT 0848 EST, AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A THORP T-18 EXPERIENCED A PILOT-INDUCED GROUND-LOOP UPON TOUCHDOWN AT PEASE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (PSM), NH. THE GROUND LOOP RESULTS IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT LT MLG, LT WINGTIP, LT FLAP, AND LT WING SKIN.
THE PIC REPORTED: THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO COMPLETE PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS ON A HARD-SURFACE RUNWAY AT KPSM VS. THE TURF STRIP UTILIZED AT THE HOME BASE OF 7B3, HAMPTON AIRFIELD. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED SHORTLY AFTER 0815 EST FROM 7B3 AND ARRIVED AT 0848 EST AT KPSM. PIC WAS GRANTED A STRAIGHT-IN LONG FINAL FOR RUNWAY 34 FROM ATC. PIC REPORTED THE CONDITIONS WERE FAVORABLE AT PATTERN ALTITUDE THERE WAS A SLIGHT CROSS-WIND, REQUIRING A CRAB TO TRACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY. ON DESCENT FOR TOUCHDOWN, THE WIND WAS CALM. THE CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY WERE GOOD THROUGHOUT. TOUCHDOWN WAS JUST AFTER THE NUMBERS ON RUNWAY 34. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON SPEED AND CONFIGURED PROPERLY AS THE WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FULLY SQUARE TO THE RUNWAY – THE AIRCRAFT WAS POINTED IN A LEFT DIRECTION OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. ACCORDINGLY, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TRAVELING ON THE GROUND TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY.
TO GET BACK ON THE CENTERLINE THE PIC REPORTED INPUTTING RIGHT RUDDER BUT THIS INPUT DID NOT SUFFICIENTLY BRING THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE CENTERLINE, SO PIC INPUTTED THE RIGHT BRAKE (IN ADDITION TO RIGHT RUDDER) TO HELP CHANGE THE GROUND DIRECTION OF THE PLANE. THE BRAKE INPUT CAUSED THE PLANE TO CHANGE COURSE MORE QUICKLY THAN THE PIC COULD COUNTERACT WITH OPPOSITE CONTROL. ACCORDINGLY, THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TURNED FORWARD, CAUSING THE PLANE TO TURN QUICKLY TO THE RIGHT ON ITS HORIZONTAL AXIS (GROUND LOOP).
THIS TURNING PUT SIGNIFICANT STRESS ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CAUSING THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED AIRCRAFT DAMAGE.