N335BECanadian Light Acft Sales &Svc BUSHCADDY EXPLORER · 2008

The pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane at the end of an uneventful cross-country flight. During the landing roll the airplane “weathervane[d]” into the prevailing left crosswind, and then began to swerve as the pilot made corrections with inputs to the rudder and ailerons. The airplane continued to swerve, resulting in a ground loop to the left. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing subsequently struck the runway, resulting in substantial damage.

The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot reported that he was landing in variable, gusting wind conditions and that prior to initiating the landing flare, his approach airspeed was about 45 miles per hour. About 12 feet above the runway the airplane lost lift, dropped to runway, and landed hard He recalled that the airplane impacted the runway about 150 feet from the threshold, the left landing gear partially collapsed, the airplane veered left and exited the left side of the runway, impacted a drainage culvert and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, engine mounts, and the empennage.

The pilot reported that during the flight there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.

As a recommendation, the pilot wrote that for the conditions he should have approached at a higher airspeed and flared further down the runway.