Accident Overview
On September 22, 2024, at approximately 1248 Pacific daylight time, a Nanchang CJ-6A (registration N313YK) and a Yakovlev Yak 52 (registration N5287) were involved in a midair collision near Lancaster, California. The pilot of the CJ-6A was fatally injured, while the pilot of the Yak 52 received minor injuries. Both aircraft were substantially damaged. The flights were conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flights.
Flight Plan and Execution
According to the pilot of the Yak 52, the two aircraft had planned to fly in formation, with the Yak 52 as the lead airplane and the CJ-6A following off its right wing as "dash 2." The flight began uneventfully from Watsonville, California, and the pilots briefed their detachment procedure using a shared radio frequency. The plan called for them to accelerate from 210 kph to 250 kph. At that speed, the pilot of the CJ-6A was to pitch up and bank left to continue his flight to Payson, Arizona, while the pilot of the Yak 52 would continue to San Diego, California.
Collision and Aftermath
The pilot of the Yak 52 stated that immediately after they accelerated to the planned speed, he observed the CJ-6A pitch up and bank left. After looking away briefly, he saw the CJ-6A abeam as it began to overbank to about 120° and approached the Yak 52 in an approximately 35° nose-low attitude. The two aircraft then collided. Following the collision, the Yak pilot noticed his propeller blades had separated and lost sight of the CJ-6A. A witness observed the CJ-6A roll right four times before impacting the ground, producing a plume of dust. The Yak 52 pilot executed a left turn, searched for a suitable landing area, and eventually touched down on a nearby road.
Aircraft Damage and Wreckage
The CJ-6A came to rest upright in desert terrain, oriented on a northwestern heading at a field elevation of about 2,310 feet mean sea level (msl). Most major structural components were accounted for at the crash site, except for the left elevator. The left side antenna from the vertical stabilizer was located about 0.5 nautical miles west of the main wreckage. A ground scar was found beneath the right wing, and another ground signature was under the engine. A long lateral tear was noted in the left wing top skin, collocated with multiple paint transfer marks and a portion of wooden propeller embedded in the wing. The empennage, loosely attached to the aft fuselage, consisted of the vertical stabilizer, both horizontal stabilizers, and the right elevator.
The Yak 52 came to rest upright on the right edge of a road about 1.5 nautical miles southeast of the CJ-6A, oriented on a southeast heading at a field elevation of about 2,350 feet msl. Major structures were accounted for. The left wing exhibited a long chordwise tear from about mid-span to the trailing edge, surrounded by numerous paint transfer marks. The top of the cowling was crushed, a portion of the cowling had separated, and both propeller blades had separated at their blade roots.