Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain control of the airplane during landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was sitting in the rear seat of the tailwheel-equipped airplane with a passenger seated in the front seat. During the landing, the airplane yawed to the right. The pilot corrected to the left and aborted the landing. As the airplane rotated, it impacted an airport sign. The pilot continued and as the airplane climbed, it began rolling to the left. The pilot decided to land in the field off the end of the runway. Upon touchdown, the left wing and tire impacted first and the airplane came to rest upright on the on the sidewalk of an airport road. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.