N897DCMaule MX-7-180A

The pilot reported that he was attempting an off-airport landing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane to a location that he had not previously landed. He stated that just prior to touchdown he realized it was not a suitable landing area and he initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the airplane touched down on soft ground and tall grass, which caused the airplane to sink into the ground and nose over. The right lift strut was substantially damaged.

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that he made a "three-point" landing on the asphalt runway. After touchdown, the airplane began to "pull" to the right, and the pilot corrected by applying left rudder. "Within a split second," the airplane turned "hard left,” collapsing the right main landing gear. The right wing impacted the runway and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures. The pilot had received a tailwheel endorsement the day prior to the accident, and reported 5 hours of flight time in the accident airplane. He also stated to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that he had received limited exposure to operating the tailwheel-equipped airplane on hard-surface runways, as his tailwheel flight instruction was conducted mostly from turf runways.