# Accident 19980726017569A: Yaklev YAK54, Anchorage, AK, July 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 26, 1998, 11:09 local time
- Place: Anchorage, AK
- Airport: Elmendorf Afb
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.1601° N, 149.9895° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1601&lon=-149.9895&mi=10
- Aircraft: N354AM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N354AM-1998-10-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Yakovlev YAK-54 (registry code 9830223, https://openairdocs.org/model/yakovlev-yak-54) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: YAKLEV YAK54
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 17 in this make and model, 43 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98FA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA110) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980726017569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT CRASHED ENROUTE, THE TWO POB SUFFERED FATAL INJ. (.4) THE PILOT AND A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER, FLYING A RUSSIAN BUILT UNLIMITED CLASS AEROBATIC AIRPLANE, JOINED A SECOND AEROBATIC AIRPLANE FOR A PLANNED PHOTO FLIGHT. THE TWO AIRPLANES FLEW ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER WHILE THE PASSENGERS TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS.  THE PHOTO FLIGHT ALTITUDES VARIED BETWEEN 2,600 AND 3,400 FEET MSL.  AFTER THE PHOTO SESSION WAS COMPLETED, THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE STATED HE WAS GOING TO DEMONSTRATE SOME AEROBATIC MANEUVERS TO HIS PASSENGER.  DURING A TURN, THE PILOT OF THE SECOND AIRPLANE MOMENTARILY LOST SIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.  WHEN HE REGAINED SIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE, HE ESTIMATED IT WAS BETWEEN 2,700 TO 3,000 FEET MSL, IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN INVERTED RIGHT SPIN.  THE SPIN CONTINUED FOR BETWEEN 5 TO 7 TURNS UNTIL THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES.  THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER AN EXPERIMENTAL/EXHIBITION AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE.  IT HAS LIGHT CONTROL FORCES, AND A ROLL RATE OF 340 DEGREES PER SECOND.  NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.  THE PILOT WAS AN ACTIVE U.S. AIR FORCE LT. GENERAL WITH EXTENSIVE MILITARY EXPERIENCE.  HE HAD A CCRUED 16.6 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO HIS LOGBOOK, HE HAD PRACTICED SEVERAL AEROBATIC MANUEVERS IN THE AIRPLANE, INCLUDING INCIPIENT INVERTED SPINS, AND INVERTED AND UPRIGHT FLAT SPINS.  THE ACCIDENT PILOT AND PASSENGER HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN AEROBATIC AIRPLANES TOGETHER.  THE PASSENGER HAD COMPETED IN AEROBATIC AIRPLANES IN THE PAST.  HE DID NOT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE.  THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL RECOMMENDS AN ALTITUDE OF 1,500 METERS (4,922 FEET) PRIOR TO INITIATING SPINS.      (-23) A/C OBSERVED BY WITNESS TO ENTER A SPIN FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROX 3,000' AGL. A/C OBSERVED TO COMPLETE 5 TO 7 ROTATIONS TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACT TREES - A/C CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINING FATAL INJURIES - REFER TO ATTACHMENTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC98FA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98FA110), Jul 26, 1998: Yakovlev YAK-54 (N354AM), Anchorage, AK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate remedial action to recover from an inverted spin, while performing aerobatics. Contributing factors were the lower than recommended entry altitude for a spin and the pilot's…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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