N7184BPiper PA-18-150 · 1956

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing on an unimproved airstrip, the airplane landed hard and veered left. He "dumped [his] flaps and attempted to arrest the leftward direction with braking" then applied full power to go around, but the airplane impacted brush and a tree.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, rudder, and left-wing lift strut.

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

The pilot reported that the wind was 180° at 10 knots. An airport's automated weather observation station located 30 miles to the southeast, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 260° at 6 knots. The pilot was landing the airplane to the south.

The pilot reported that, the purpose of the flight was to land at, and then clear an unimproved airstrip, by removing small trees and brush. During approach he made a relatively steep descent with full flaps. During the touch down, the tailwheel-equipped airplane landed hard and bounced. The airplane touched down again angled to the left and veered off the runway to the left during the roll on the uneven, dirt surface. Subsequently, the left wing impacted a tree and the airplane pivoted into an adjacent tree.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage.

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

The pilot of the tailwheel and tundra tire equipped airplane reported that during landing on a soft grass airstrip he conducted a wheel landing instead of a three-point landing. The pilot further reported that during the landing roll, the main landing gear dug into the ground, which resulted in a nose over and substantial damage to both wing struts and empennage.

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

According to the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A;

The tailwheel should touch down simultaneously with or just before the main wheels, and should then be held down by maintaining firm back-elevator pressure throughout the landing roll. This will minimize any tendency for the airplane to nose over and will provide aerodynamic braking. The use of brakes on a soft field is not needed because the soft or rough surface itself will provide sufficient reduction in the airplane's forward speed. Often it will be found that upon landing on a very soft field, the pilot will need to increase power to keep the airplane moving and from becoming stuck in the soft surface.