Event ERA24LA052

Factual narrative

The private pilot was flying with a flight instructor and was working towards his tailwheel endorsement. During a wheel landing attempt with a direct crosswind from the left, the airplane swerved, and the pilot attempted to make a correction by applying right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped before the flight instructor could take control of the airplane, and the left wing and left elevator struck the runway surface. Following the ground loop, the pilot continued the taxi to the ramp without further incident. The fuselage, left wing, and left elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot and flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
• — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Delayed action-Instructor/check pilot
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Response/compensation