Accident Details
On May 15, 2010, at 1145 eastern daylight time, an Aerostar Yak-52, registration N6868Y, was substantially damaged after impacting water during maneuvering near Jensen Beach, Florida. The certificated private pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed from Witham Field Airport (SUA), Stuart, Florida.
Witness Observations
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane departed SUA at 1140. Witnesses observed the airplane flying along the beach about 100 yards offshore, descending from approximately 300 feet to about 50 feet above the water in a northerly direction. It then entered a "very abrupt and steep turn" to the northeast, went "straight up" while continuing to turn, rolled out on a westerly heading toward condominiums, made a "sharp turn" to the right (northbound), pitched up "sharply" until inverted, then pitched down, rolled about its longitudinal axis, and impacted the water nose first.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff's officer observing from a helicopter at 500 feet noted the airplane initially made a climbing right turn toward the west in a "very nose high attitude," then almost performed a "wingover" while turning right. The nose began to "fall through the turn," resembling a "partial loop." The airplane then almost rolled wings level, nose down. The deputy realized the pilot lacked recovery room and commented, "there is no way he is going to make it," then heard a voice on the radio say "OH" and observed the airplane contact the water and sink.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a Private Pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate application was dated August 13, 2008. He had accrued approximately 442 total hours of flight experience.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a fully aerobatic two-seat monoplane of conventional construction, powered by a 360-horsepower 9-cylinder radial engine driving a two-bladed, counter-clockwise rotating, variable-pitch wood and fiberglass laminate propeller. It featured retractable landing gear, pneumatic actuation for engine starting, landing gear, flaps, and braking, as well as inverted fuel and oil systems permitting up to two minutes of inverted flight. The aircraft was stressed to 7 Gs positive and 5 Gs negative and capable of roll rates of 180 degrees per second. Manufactured in 1980, its most recent conditional inspection was completed on June 9, 2009, at which time it had accrued 1,015.4 total hours.
Meteorological Information
A weather observation taken about two minutes after the accident at SUA, approximately 5 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, recorded wind from 100 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 18 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, broken clouds at 3,000 feet, temperature 28°C, dew point 20°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
All major airplane pieces except the outer wing panels were recovered from the water off Jensen Beach. Examination revealed no evidence of preimpact malfunction or failure of the airplane or engine. The airframe showed no inflight structural failure; control continuity was established from flight controls to breaks exhibiting tensile overload. The landing gear was down and locked, and wing flaps were up.
Cockpit examination showed the attitude indicator indicating a 55-degree nose-down pitch and 10-degree right bank. The airspeed indicator needle was past the 250-knot mark, and the accelerometer (G-meter) was at its stop at -6 Gs. The Kollsman window indicated 30.24 inches of mercury, and the altimeter indicated 150 feet below sea level. The throttle lever was full open, propeller pitch control in midrange, friction lock locked, and fuel cutoff lever open. Cooling controls were fully forward, carburetor heat in "COLD," magneto switch in "1+2," battery and generator switches on, ignition in "1st COCKPIT," landing gear selector neutral, gear down indicator light bulb showed filament stretching, emergency release valve closed, flap lever up, strobe lights on, navigation lights and transponder off, oil scavenge switch off, pitot and clock heaters off, and instrument fault switches safety wired off. Annunciator panel bulbs for stall warning, approaching stall, low airspeed, excess G, and metal chip in oil showed no filament stretching.
Engine examination revealed the cowling had separated, oil tank crushed, propeller blades severed at the hub, planetary reduction drive intact, and drive train continuity confirmed. Top spark plugs were light gray with intact electrodes; cylinders showed no preimpact anomalies; oil present in rocker boxes; internal power section contained sand, water, and oil. Magnetos could not be fired due to saltwater immersion but showed no preimpact malfunction.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the State of Florida, District 19 Medical Examiner listed the cause of death as multiple blunt trauma injuries. Toxicological testing at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and basic, acidic, and neutral drugs.
Additional Information
Review of photographs provided by the St. Lucie Sheriff's Office and FAA revealed the airplane had been flying with the landing gear down before the accident. The Yak-52 Pilots Operating Handbook specifies retracting the gear after takeoff and climbing at 90 knots. A response from the RedStar Pilots Association indicated they were unaware of any in-flight maneuvers requiring extended gear after takeoff.
According to the FAA, aerobatic flight is defined as an intentional maneuver involving abrupt attitude change, abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration not necessary for normal flight. 14 CFR Part 91 prohibits aerobatic flight below 1,500 feet above the surface. The International Aerobatic Club, Inc. also recommends a minimum altitude of 1,500 feet above ground level for any aerobatic maneuver.