SEA03LA062

The commercial pilot reported that shortly after touchdown, in conjunction with the tail wheel touching down, the airplane started drifting to the right. The pilot stated that the airplane continued to track to the right, ultimately exiting the runway edge. After exiting the runway, the airplane encountered rough terrain and the right main gear collapsed. In a subsequent written statement, the pilot reported that the tail wheel was possibly not centered when the airplane touched down, and that he was unable to recover before the airplane exited the runway.

On April 11, 2003, about 1730 Pacific daylight time, a Curtiss-Wright Travel Air C-4000 airplane, N6298, sustained substantial damage during landing at Florence Municipal Airport, Florence Oregon. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight under Title 14 CFR, Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Sun River, Oregon, approximately two hours prior to the accident.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 16, the pilot reported that shortly after touchdown, in conjunction with the tail wheel touching down, the airplane started drifting to the right. The pilot stated that the airplane continued to track to the right, ultimately exiting the runway edge. After exiting the runway, the airplane encountered rough terrain and the right main gear collapsed.

In a written statement dated April 24, 2003, the pilot reported that he believed the tail wheel was not centered when the airplane touched down, and added that he was unable to recover before the airplane exited the runway.