Event WPR14CA342

Factual narrative

The pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane in variable wind conditions, and subsequently touched down with a quartering tailwind. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, ground-looped, and came to rest back on the runway. During the excursion, the airplane impacted a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the ground-loop. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was landing the tail-wheel equipped airplane in variable wind conditions, and subsequently touched down with a quartering tailwind. The airplane veered off the runway to the right, ground-looped, and came to rest back on the runway. During the excursion, the airplane impacted a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the ground-loop. The pilot reported 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).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Effect on operation