Circumstances
On Sunday, April 24, 2011, at 18:55 local time, a Yak 52 aircraft registered RA-3619K crashed while maneuvering at low altitude near Fontenay-Trésigny airfield (77), France. The aircraft was privately operated and based at Lognes airfield. The pilot intended to participate in a Yak gathering at La Ferté-Alais the following day and had taken off from Lognes for a local flight.
While en route, the pilot heard a fellow aviator flying another Yak 52 on the Lognes frequency. They arranged to meet in flight east of the airfield and decided to proceed to Fontenay-Trésigny. On the self-information frequency of Fontenay-Trésigny, the pilot of the first Yak announced the arrival of both aircraft and their intention to overfly the active runway 12 at low height. A flight instructor who was returning from a flight estimated their altitude between 50 and 100 feet.
The pilot of the second Yak later explained that they intended to perform a second overflight of runway 12. They increased engine power to start a climb and a right turn to join the downwind leg. The second pilot observed the first aircraft assume a pronounced nose-up attitude before losing sight of it. While established on the downwind leg, he saw the first aircraft strike the ground to his right. Ground witnesses reported that the aircraft deviated to the right before pitching nose-down toward the ground. No radio transmissions were made by the pilot in the moments preceding the accident.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, a Yak 52, was registered in a third country and held an airworthiness certificate issued under ICAO Annex 8. It was not operated for commercial purposes. The aircraft had previously been involved in an accident approximately one year earlier during a landing with the landing gear retracted.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft struck the ground with a high nose-down attitude and a right bank. Detailed inspection of the control surfaces and control system showed that all damage was consistent with impact forces. No pre-existing damage or malfunctions were identified. The engine was producing power at the time of impact.
The pilot, aged 61, held a French private pilot license issued in 1986 and a Russian private pilot license issued in 2006, with a total flight experience of 850 hours. The passenger also held a private pilot license. autopsies performed on both occupants revealed no physiological or medical factors that could have contributed to the accident. The Yak 52 is equipped with dual controls in tandem; investigators were unable to determine which occupant was flying at the time of the accident.
Conclusion
The accident resulted from a loss of control during a low-altitude maneuver. The exact reasons for the loss of control could not be determined. Contributing factors included the lack of preparation for the formation flight and the associated maneuvers.
Regarding aircraft registration and oversight, no direct link was established between the accident and the monitoring of airworthiness. However, since 2004 the Russian civil aviation authority no longer recognized the Federation of Private Aviators of Russia (FLA) as the entity responsible for issuing pilot licenses, registration certificates, airworthiness certificates, and conducting airworthiness monitoring. Consequently, no surveillance of maintenance programs for such aircraft was carried out by either Russian or French authorities. In response to a previous recommendation following a 2008 accident involving a Yak 54, the French DGAC was considering publishing an Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) to define flight conditions for such aircraft operating under the French "laissez-passer" regime.