# Accident 20030116000779A: Yaklev YAK52, Midway, UT, January 16, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 16, 2003, 11:57 local time
- Place: Midway, UT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.5967° N, 111.4550° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5967&lon=-111.4550&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2256J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2256J-2015-05-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Yakovlev YAK 52 (registry code 9830220, https://openairdocs.org/model/yakovlev-yak-52) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: YAKLEV YAK52
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN03FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03FA034) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030116000779A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON THE MORNING OF 01/16/03 RETIRED AIRLINE EDMUND STRAUCHEN, PART OWNER OF N2256J DEPARTED THE HEBER, UTAH AIRPORT WITH HIS FRIEND RETIRED AIRLINE PILOT ROBERT KOCH ON BOARD FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. N2256J IS A YAK 52, WHICH IS REGISTERED TO YAK ATTACH SQUADRON LLC, PARK CITY, UTAH. THE FLIGHT WAS BEGUN AT AROUND 11:00 MST AND WAS PLANED TO BE ABOUT 1 HOUR IN LENGTH. THE PILOT WAS PLANNING ON MEETING ANOTHER CO-OWNER AROUND NOON AT THE AIRCRAFT'S HANGAR. AT 11:57 SEVERAL EYEWITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLY VERTICALLY INTO THE GROUND WITH THE ENGINE OPERATING. FOR SOME REASON A LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT/PILOTS HAD OCCURRED. THE IMPACT WAS IN A FIELD SURROUNDED BY HOMES IN MIDWAY, UTAH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT AND POST CRASH FIRE. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT. A SHORT RADIO TRANSMISSION WAS RECEIVED ON THE AIRPORTS UNICOM FREQUENCY STATING "WERE CRASHING, WERE GOING IN".

## 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 DEN03FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03FA034), Jan 16, 2003: Yakovlev YAK 52 (N2256J), Midway, UT, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The malfunction of the elevator control as a result of a jammed elevator control bell crank, rendering control of the airplane impossible. A contributing factor was the foreign object (nut) damage.

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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