Low-Altitude Maneuvering · NTSB CEN15FA194
S C AEROSTAR S A YAK 52TW — Advance, IN
| Date | April 3, 2015 |
| Location | Advance, IN |
| Aircraft | S C AEROSTAR S A YAK 52TW |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 58 |
| Pilot total time | 1,781 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | 500 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
What happened
Radar data showed the airplane maneuvering in visual meteorological conditions before radar contact was lost. Although the radar data showed the accident flight's ground track, altitude information was not available for the maneuvering portion of the flight for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane's transponder was destroyed. There were no witnesses to the accident. Examination of the accident site indicated a high-airspeed, near-vertical impact with terrain consistent with a loss of airplane control. Although the wreckage was significantly fragmented, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airframe or engine were noted that would have precluded normal operation. No medical issues were identified with the pilot that would have contributed to the accident. The reason for the loss of control could not be determined.