What happened
On 20 July 2003, a YAK-52, registration ZU-ARB, was conducting a local pleasure flight near Nadini aerodrome when it crashed during a go-around maneuver. The pilot was accompanied by his son at the time of the incident.
During the initial approach to Runway 11, the pilot realized the undercarriage had not been extended, resulting in the aircraft flying below the standard touchdown height. In response, the pilot initiated a go-around by applying full power. While the aircraft appeared to accelerate normally, reaching speeds of roughly 150km/h, the pilot began a right-hand turn to complete another circuit and address the landing gear issue. At an altitude of approximately 200 to 300 feet, the engine RPM surged, followed by a violent right roll and a nose-down pitch. Despite the pilot's attempts to use left rudder and pull back on the stick, the aircraft struck the ground, resulting in extensive damage to the airframe. The pilot sustained serious injuries, while the passenger suffered minor injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and the runway following the accident. An inspection of the runway surface revealed that the propeller had struck the ground during the initial approach attempt, which caused significant damage to the propeller blades. Maintenance records indicated that the aircraft's last annual inspection had been completed on 7 January 2003, at 984.35 airframe hours. At the time of the crash, the aircraft had flown an additional 37.15 hours since that inspection.