20010910024619A

(-23) At 2023 hours September 10, 2001, an aircraft with registration number N1189N, yakovlev YAK-52, serial number 878208, was involved in a fatal aircraft accident located in the woods within the town of Washington, Connecticut. The pilot was flying cross country VFR after recently purchasing the aircraft. The pilot was on the last leg of her flight after starting the journey on sept. 6, 2001 from Washington state. After refueling in wurtsboro, new york, the pilot attempted to continue the journey night VFR to providence, rhode island. There was no flight plan filed or recorded weather briefs with flight service stations. The aircraft was equipped for IFR conditions. At the time the weather was IFR conditions with 800 ft. ceiling, 1/4 mile visibility, low lying fog, light to heavy rain, thunderstorm and lightning activity. The aircraft was demolished when inspected at the crash site. The first area of contact was a heavy wooded area with 70 to 90 ft. high trees and smaller trees topped off before the aircraft impacted the surface of an 898 ft. hill. The wreckage site revealed an impact impression prior to the aircraft final resting area pointing to a southern direction. The aircraft struck the ground at approximately a 45 degree angle where it left an impact crater and bounced resting 8-10 feet from the first ground impact. Inspection of the wreckage reveals a post-accident fire that burned the engine and cockpit compartments beyond recovery. The remaining fuselage and tail of the aircraft was upside down with its left wing folded underneath the final resting area of the wreckage. The right wing and landing gear assembly was sheared off from tree impact and was resting approximately 20 ft. away from the main wreckage. There was evidence of post-accident fire on the right wing and landing gear assembly. All of the remaining covered surfaces did not reveal any soot or smoke streking alleviating factors of a pre-accident fire. The powerplant did not reveal evidence of an in-flight fire. Continuity of the flight controls could not be established due to the extent of the damage. Recording of parameters from the cockpit instrumentation could not be established due to extent of damage sustained to the cockpit compartment. The nose gear was found withing a few feet of the remains of the engine compartment. The wreckage was contained within approximately 100 ft. wide by 150 ft. length area. (-19) on September 10, 2001, at 2023 eastern daylight time, an experimental yakovlev YAK-52, N1189N, was destroyed when it collided with terrain near Washington, Connecticut. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed for the cross-country flight that originated from the wurtsboro sullivan county airport (N82), wurtsboro, new york, destined for the providence, rhode island, area. No flight plan was filed, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot purchased the airplane a couple of days before the accident from an individual in arlington, Washington, and was in the process of flying it to providence. The accident occurred during the last leg of the cross-country flight. The airplane was equipped for IMC flight, but the previous owner warned the pilot not to fly in IMC or night VFR because the layout of the flight instrument panel was different from the airplanes the pilot normally flew. Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane w as fragmented, and that the majority of its structure was destroyed in a post crash fire. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed because of impact and fire damage. The flight instruments and system instruments were also destroyed in the post crash fire. The engine displayed severe impact and fire damage. The propeller was comprised of two blades. Each blade was constructed of wood with a metal strip on the leading edge. The no. 1 blade was destroyed. The no.2 blade had separated from the hub, and was located in the impact crater. Examination of the blade revealed an impact mark in the metal strip on the leading edge. The mark was 4 to 6 inches from the tip of the blade, and had a radius of approximately 2 1/2 inches. A weather observation taken 30 minutes after the accident at an airport approximately 22 miles to the northeast of the accident site, recorded the wind as calm, visibility 3 miles in rain and mist, overcast clouds at 6,500 feet, temperature 72 degrees fahrenheit, dew point 70 degrees fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.07 hg. Examination of a weather radar image captured 23 minutes before the accident revealed an area of strong radar returns consistentwith heavy precipitation in the vicinity of the accident site. A witness along with her husband reported hearing the sound of an engine operating at high RPM, and then a "loud bang" that vibrated through their house. About 15 to 30 minutes after hearing the bang, the witness started to smell the odor of something burning. She did not go out to investigate the source of the bang or odor until the next morning because it was rainy, foggy, and "extremely" dark when the accident took place. The next day the witness went out on horseback, and identified the wreckage. She then called the state police. (.4) the pilot purchased the airplane a couple of days before the accident in the state of Washington, and was ferrying it to providence, rhode island. The airplane departed on the last leg of the cross-country flight VFR, and was enroute to providence when the accident happened. A weather observation taken 30 minutes after the accident at an airport approximately 22 miles to the south of the accident site, recorded the wind as calm, visibility 3 miles in rain and mist, overcast clouds at 6,500 feet, temperature 72 degr ees fahrenheit, dew point 70 degrees fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.07 hg. A weather radar image captured 23 minutes before the accident showed an area of strong radar returns consistent with heavy precipitation in the vicinity of the accident site. A witness reported that the accident site was rainy, foggy, and "extremely" dark when the accident happened. The pilot was scheduled to work 16 hours the day after the accident. The pilot also left a voice message the day before the accident stating she was "socked in" from a storm approaching from the west. The pilot had approximately 1,680 hours of total flight experience. The airplane impacted the ground approximately 40 degrees nose down. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions.