20260623007999A

The flight departed Minden-Tahoe Airport (kmev), where the terrain is unobstructed and flat, via runway 34 at 9:15AM pacific daylight time on June 23, 2026. No services were obtained. The flight was closed traffic and the approach to land on 34 was normal with airspeed on short final of approximately 60 mph with one notch of flaps having been engaged on base and the second notch (full flaps) being extended just prior to crossing the threshold with the plane being on the center line. The landing was a wheel landing and shortly after the wheels touched down the plane started to veer to the left at which time the right rudder was engaged, the tail wheel not having yet touched down. At the time the tail wheel engaged the runway it was configured to turn right due to the right rudder being applied and then the plane quickly took a right turn and entered the ground loop. The brakes were never engaged. Most of the ground loop was on the runway but the plane did exit the runway at which time the left wing and elevator struck the ground causing substantial damage to the wing. After determining no other airplanes were on base or final, runway 34 was entered for taxi to taxiway b and the tie down location, where the plane currently sits.