What happened
On March 26, 2011, an Aerostar S.A. Yak-52, registration N808TD, crashed during the "Wings Over Flagler" fly-in at Flagler County Airport (XFL) in Palm Coast, Florida. The aircraft was part of the Red Thunder Air Show Team, performing its third scheduled routine of the day.
During the routine, the pilot was executing a series of maneuvers including a loop, wingover, barrel roll, and a "heart" maneuver. According to witnesses and fellow team members, the accident occurred during the "heart" maneuver. While the pilot in the right-wing position completed a Half Cuban Eight maneuver, the lead pilot of N808TD failed to recover from a nose-low descent.
One fellow pilot reported seeing the aircraft in a 45-degree down-line angle flying toward runway 24. An air traffic controller observed a flash fire approximately half a mile southwest of the tower shortly after hearing a team member call for the maneuvers to be stopped. The aircraft sustained substantial damage due to impact forces and a postcrash fire. The pilot was fatally injured, and there were no ground injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that all primary flight control surfaces remained attached. While the aileron torque tube and the forward seat control stick were fractured, examination of the elevator and rudder systems showed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The engine appeared to be developing power at the moment of impact, as evidenced by the condition of the propeller blades and engine components.
Review of a GPS receiver from the aircraft provided track log data showing the aircraft was accelerating during takeoff and continued until the final data point at 71 feet altitude. Video evidence from a witness showed the aircraft's flight path angle became shallower during the final 1.3 seconds of the recording just before impact.
Medical examinations and toxicology reports found no evidence of impairment. Although traces of dextromethorphan (an over-the-counter cough suppressant) were found, investigators determined it was unlikely to cause impairment. The pilot had reported feeling tired during previous flights that day, but no medical cause for incapacitation was found.