Pilot Debrief

AEROSTAR S A YAK-52 near Palm Coast, FL — 2011-03-26

Final reportERA11FA214
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Date
2011-03-26
Location
Palm Coast, FL, USA
Airport
XFL
Aircraft
AEROSTAR S A YAK-52
Registration
N808TD
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to recover from the nose-low descent during an aerobatic maneuver.

NTSB narrative

During the third and final aerobatic flight that day, after completing a loop maneuver called the “heart” maneuver, the pilot failed to recover from the nose-low descent before ground impact. A video recording of the last segment of the flight revealed no parts separated from the airplane. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and a postcrash fire that nearly consumed the fuselage and portions of both wings; however, there was no evidence of a preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls for roll, pitch, or yaw. The right flap was noted to be extended, which agreed with the as-found position of the single flap actuator. Although no brain tissue, blood, or cardiac tissue were available for examination at autopsy, analysis of the limited evidence available found nothing to support a medical cause for impairment or incapacitation. Video evidence suggests that the airplane’s flightpath angle became shallower during the last 1.3 seconds of the recording, which was very near the time of impact, when compared with the earlier portion of the descent. Cursory examination of the engine and damage to the propeller blades suggest the engine was developing power at the moment of impact.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the maneuver after feeling unexpected aircraft position.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • Photos
  • 31 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents31

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