What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 4/22/2026 rick leyes while on landing and roll out in privacy data omitted felt a sudden, unexpected shift of the aircraft to the right like something had snagged on his right wheel. He applied the brakes to adjust for the shift and the aircraft flipped on to its nose because of his excessive braking. Lite damage occurred on the wheel covers, front cowling and the propellers. The engine was damaged due to the sudden stoppage of the engine when the propellers struck the pavement. It was determined that the tail wheel, which was serviced regularly, did not swing freely. Upon further inspection the grease in the pivot bearing had become contaminated not allowing for freedom of movement which may have contributed to the sudden shift right.
As the FAA filed it
ON 4/22/2026 RICK LEYES WHILE ON LANDING AND ROLL OUT IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FELT A SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED SHIFT OF THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT LIKE SOMETHING HAD SNAGGED ON HIS RIGHT WHEEL. HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO ADJUST FOR THE SHIFT AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED ON TO ITS NOSE BECAUSE OF HIS EXCESSIVE BRAKING. LITE DAMAGE OCCURRED ON THE WHEEL COVERS, FRONT COWLING AND THE PROPELLERS. THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED DUE TO THE SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE ENGINE WHEN THE PROPELLERS STRUCK THE PAVEMENT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TAIL WHEEL, WHICH WAS SERVICED REGULARLY, DID NOT SWING FREELY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE GREASE IN THE PIVOT BEARING HAD BECOME CONTAMINATED NOT ALLOWING FOR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SUDDEN SHIFT RIGHT.