What happened
While performing a takeoff roll on runway 25, the flight crew reached V2 speed. At this point, the pilot in command initiated rotation; however, the controls for the elevator felt excessively heavy. Consequently, the decision was made to abort the takeoff. The crew applied emergency braking, but the YS-11 could not stop before the end of the runway. The aircraft subsequently overran the pavement and crashed into Nakaumi Lake.
All 52 people on board were successfully rescued from the wreckage. Among the occupants, there were eight injuries, while no fatalities were reported. The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the weather conditions at the time of the incident involved light snow showers. A primary contributing factor was that the crew did not perform deicing procedures before departing. It is believed that ice, frost, or slush accumulation on the aircraft likely caused the heavy elevator control response experienced during rotation. Additionally, records indicated that the captain had been operating this specific aircraft type for less than six months and was required to maintain control of the aircraft during the takeoff phase.