Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in the on-ground collision with trees.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern on the downwind leg and turned onto the base and final legs for runway 31 with wind from 260° at 5 knots. A witness observed and the pilot reported a normal landing, with the airplane touching down an estimated 300 to 400 ft down the runway. The pilot stated that, during the landing roll, the airplane bounced about 3 ft then touched back down and then, with no brakes applied, the airplane began veering to the left. He attempted to correct with right rudder and right brake but the veer to the left continued and the airplane impacted trees on the left side of the runway. The pilot informed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector that he had not noticed any tendencies for the airplane to pull left during landings on previous flights. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a FAA airworthiness inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing. A check of the flight controls revealed they appeared to be intact and functioning properly. A check of the brakes was performed with no discrepancies noted. A detailed examination of the tail wheel assembly, which was installed in accordance with a supplemental type certificate, revealed it was installed in accordance with the installation requirements, with proper left and right steering springs installed and tensioned. A discrepancy with the tailwheel leaf spring not being centered was noted, but the airplane manufacturer representative reported to the FAA inspector that condition would have negligible effect on taxi operations.