What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot stated the following:
I picked up ATIS victor (which had not changed since I had departed kbzn and called for winds variable@ 3 KTS). I entered a right base for the turf runway 11 and approached with zero drift. I had a slight bounce upon landing (I believe less than 6") and upon settling back down to what I thought was a decent 3-point landing the tail swung to the right very quickly, pointing me towards the left and directly at a white rubber cone marking the runway edge. (Note: the runway is 80 ft wide, I was probably less than 40 ft from the cone). I had zero rudder authority and no steering as the tailwheel had unlinked from the rudder.
I may or may not have tried to add power to regain rudder
Control because of the cone, but either way I impacted the cone with the left main tire and headed for the taller grass off the runway. The next thing I knew I was watching the nose of the plane bury itself in the grass and dirt and I flipped upside down.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT STATED THE FOLLOWING:
I PICKED UP ATIS VICTOR (WHICH HAD NOT CHANGED SINCE I HAD DEPARTED KBZN AND CALLED FOR WINDS VARIABLE@ 3 KTS). I ENTERED A RIGHT BASE FOR THE TURF RUNWAY 11 AND APPROACHED WITH ZERO DRIFT. I HAD A SLIGHT BOUNCE UPON LANDING (I BELIEVE LESS THAN 6") AND UPON SETTLING BACK DOWN TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A DECENT 3-POINT LANDING THE TAIL SWUNG TO THE RIGHT VERY QUICKLY, POINTING ME TOWARDS THE LEFT AND DIRECTLY AT A WHITE RUBBER CONE MARKING THE RUNWAY EDGE. (NOTE: THE RUNWAY IS 80 FT WIDE, I WAS PROBABLY LESS THAN 40 FT FROM THE CONE). I HAD ZERO RUDDER AUTHORITY AND NO STEERING AS THE TAILWHEEL HAD UNLINKED FROM THE RUDDER.
I MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE TRIED TO ADD POWER TO REGAIN RUDDER
CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE CONE, BUT EITHER WAY I IMPACTED THE CONE WITH THE LEFT MAIN TIRE AND HEADED FOR THE TALLER GRASS OFF THE RUNWAY. THE NEXT THING I KNEW I WAS WATCHING THE NOSE OF THE PLANE BURY ITSELF IN THE GRASS AND DIRT AND I FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.