Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 43; Flight Crew Total 2350; Flight Crew Type 123
Workload
Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Human Factors; Weather
A wheel landing was made and the airplane was slowed without braking such that the tailwheel had been set down. At a speed of about 20mph; the left wing gained lift and the aircraft swerved to the right in a ground loop. Left rudder and left aileron inputs were made at the first indication of directional instability. The right main gear left the edge of the pavement and sank into the soft; wet surface; pulling the aircraft further to the right. The aircraft rolled forward into a drainage ditch approximately 6 feet deep containing low standing water; midway down the right side of the runway at an estimated speed of 10-15mph. Neither wing struck the surface; and the prop tips were not struck or damaged. When the aircraft nosed into the ditch; the front cowling was bent and the main landing gear were damaged. There were no injuries and there was no damage to property other than to the aircraft as described above.
Pilot reported a loss of directional control that resulted in a runway excursion and damage to the aircraft.