WPR25LA280

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that he was conducting a local flight at his home airport in his tailwheel equipped airplane. As he was maneuvering around the traffic pattern, he initially planned a wheel landing, where the main landing gear touch down first, followed later with the tail wheel settling down on the runway. During touchdown, he did not add sufficient power and decided to transition to a three-point landing, in which all three landing gear touch down simultaneously. The airplane bounced upon touchdown, and he briefly lost visual sight of the runway. The airplane touched back down again with the nose pointed left of the runway centerline. Despite the pilot’s attempts to regain directional control, the airplane departed the left side of the runway into a dirt area. The right main gear dug into the terrain and the airplane nosed over. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that the airplane had no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
• — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained