On February 27, 2001, an Ascher YAKOLEV YAK 11 (registration N18AW) was involved in an aviation accident near Ione, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff run. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in the type aircraft. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During takeoff on a 100-foot-wide runway, an experimental racing airplane drifted to the right edge, departed the runway, and struck a berm. The impact damaged the landing gear and deflected the aircraft leftward and airborne, crossing back over the runway before coming to rest.
Accident Sequence
The accident occurred during takeoff on a runway measuring 100 feet in width. The experimental racing airplane, modified for air racing and assembled from U.S. and Russian aircraft components, drifted to the right-hand edge of the runway. It then continued off the runway until it struck a berm located at the midfield taxiway. The impact with the berm damaged the landing gear and deflected the aircraft to the left and into the air. While airborne, the airplane traveled back across the runway. It came to rest in the dirt on the left side of the runway, approximately 3,000 feet from the start of the takeoff roll.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The single-seat aircraft was acquired by the pilot about one month before the accident. This takeoff was the pilot's first in the aircraft. At the time of the accident, there was a left, quartering crosswind reported at 16 knots with gusts to 22 knots.