Aerostar S A YAK 52 accident near Alpine, WY

On January 4, 2016, an Aerostar S A YAK 52 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Alpine, WY. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

January 4, 2016

Place

Alpine, WY

Aircraft

Aerostar S A YAK 52 · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

43.161°N, 111.041°W

NTSB ID

20160104X35410

Official records · WPR16FA046

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn January 4, 2016, about 1615 mountain standard time, an experimental Aerostar SA YAK-52, N912EB, collided with terrain while maneuvering near Alpine Airport, Alpine, Wyoming. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by Wyoming Wings LLC under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local personal flight departed Alpine Airport about 1530. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Family members reported that the accident airplane departed, and went to an area northwest of the airport where the pilot planned to perform aerobatic maneuvers. Two other airplanes, one flown by the accident passenger's father, and the other by the accident pilot's son, then departed on local sightseeing flights. The passenger's father returned to the airport, landed on runway 13, and turned the airplane toward the southwest on a taxiway as he prepared to depart on runway 31, which was standard practice at the airport when winds permitted. He saw the YAK performing aerobatics west of the airport and heard the accident pilot's son report on a 3-mile final straight in for runway 13. He departed runway 31, and immediately turned 90° to the west to clear the area for the landing traffic. As he reached pattern altitude, he saw the debris field forming on the snow-covered ground behind the accident pilot's son's airplane, which was on a 2-mile final approach. He flew over the site, and broadcast that the YAK was down. He ma

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from snow-covered terrain in flat light conditions.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.