Yakovlev YAK 52 N2331C

Summary

On 23 July 2005 at about 18:26 local time, a Yakovlev YAK 52 registered N2331C was involved in an accident near Claremore, Oklahoma, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 2005 at 18:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Claremore, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Claremore Regional (GCM)

Coordinates

36.2889, -95.4744

Aircraft

Yakovlev YAK 52

Registration

N2331C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Air Race/Show

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Claremore → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW05LA187

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to obtain adequate airspeed while executing a low altitude aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall while inverted. A factor was the low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 1,700-hour pilot was performing a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver on takeoff as part of an air show routine. A witness, who was hired to professionally videotape the airshow and was familiar with the pilot's flight routine said, the initial takeoff roll and rotation were normal, but the airplane was slower than usual. When the pilot rolled inverted the pitch angle was higher than normal and the typical gain in airspeed did not occur. The airplane's right wing was low as pitch angle increased, and the elevator was in the full down position. The witness said it looked as if the airplane was in an "inverted stall situation." The airplane subsequently descended into the runway inverted and a post-impact fire ensued.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.