I hesitate to try and get too specific with this because it's been so
long ago for me :-). I seem to remember we had a Scott 3200 tailwheel on
one of our line PA18's and it always functioned perfectly.
Did you try putting the tail up on a stand braced at the spring attach
points, then have someone check the tailwheel angle against the rudder
displacement as you work the pedals?.
I'd simply have the nearest A&P check it out. My system for these things
was to check them out backwards. I'd check everything to see if it was
working as it should, and if something didn't look right at that point,
I'd have the guys check it over. :-)
One thing flying wise, if you were holding in right rudder at contact,
the tailwheel would have been cocked right. If you were holding in that
rudder and came down solid on the tail at ground contact, it could have
temporarily jammed it right on you. I've seen this happen a few times.
Just a thought.
Good luck. I'm sure it's no biggie, but have it checked out anyway.
Dudley
wrote in message
...
I was hoping to get an answer from Dudley. Our plane has a Scott
tailwheel. When you talk about a hung up tailwheel spring, are you
talking about the small spring internal to the tailwheel. Should the
tailwheel release in such a situation?

As to your question regarding if the tailwheel "lead" my foot, I think
it may have. I was actually a little confused, when I think back, as
to
what was going on with my feet! Not that there was any time to think
when it happened. Not sure if the swerve happened the exact instance
the
tailwheel touched, but I think that is a good possibility.

Tom

In article et,
says...
If I remember right, (and that would be a minor miracle :-)the
Cruiser
came with a free castoring tailwheel I think, but it's been a long
time
:-)) Do you have a Scott or a Maule on the airplane, or the original
tailwheel?

If it's the original, with your experience and the wind you are
describing, it sounds very much like a hung up tailwheel spring that
kinked out on you then released as the full weight of the airplane
centered in the "new direction". It's really hard to tell, and the
answer would be in your memory on how the pedals felt at the exact
instant the airplane swerved to the right. If you think back, did the
pedal LEAD your foot, and did the airplane swerve at the exact
instant
the tail contacted the runway? This would be a clue if you could
remember that!
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
for email; take out the trash