Introduction
On 24 April 2010, a Yak-52 aircraft (registration G-YKCT) sustained minor damage after executing a forced landing with the landing gear retracted. The accident occurred approximately 1 km west of Kilkerran Airstrip, Ayrshire, during a training flight.
History of the Flight
The aircraft, powered by a single Ivchenko Vedeneyev M-14P piston engine, was conducting a dual recurrent training sortie with two members of the ownership group on board. The flight had been airborne for about 40 minutes. The planned profile included a normal takeoff and climb to 5,000 ft, followed by stalls, spins, unusual attitude recovery, and basic aerobatics. After completing these exercises, the crew returned to Kilkerran Airstrip for circuit work.
The Incident
During the first planned go-around from a normal approach, the pilot applied full power and adopted the go-around attitude. The engine rpm gauge indicated 100%. Shortly afterward, the pilots felt a vibration and sensed a loss of engine power, with fluctuations noted on the rpm gauge. The nose was lowered, and the landing gear and flaps were raised to maintain airspeed. The engine continued to run but with significantly reduced power and fluctuating rpm.
With obstacles ahead and no noticeable rate of climb, the decision was made to execute a gear-up flapless forced landing into a field located to the right of the runway extended centerline. The landing on very short grass resulted in minimal damage, as the Yak-52 was designed in its original role as a military/civilian aerobatic trainer to perform such landings without major structural damage; the wheels protrude from the wings and fuselage even when retracted.
Damage and Investigation
Damage was limited to the propeller, a bent right main landing gear (MLG) oleo strut, and both MLG uplock brackets. The fuel tanks were checked for the presence of water and none was found. The engine was removed from the aircraft and sent to a specialist for inspection and possible fault identification. No faults were found that could account for the power reduction.