Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground-loop.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll-out she reached down to retract the flaps and the tailwheel-equipped airplane began to veer to the right. She attempted to correct with left rudder, but the airplane began to “fishtail”. She then applied brakes to correct for the veering movement to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane ground-looped to the left, exited the runway to the left, and the right wing and elevator impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.