20150403004359A

On April 3, 2015 at approximately 1540 local time, a YAK-52TW, N555GD, crashed in a cornfield approximately 3 miles east of the town of Advance, IN and 5 miles southwest of lebanon, IN. The pilot/owner and sole occupant of the aircraft was fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed when it impacted the ground at a high vertical angle with high velocity. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed or required.

The flight originated from eagle creek airport (eye) at approximately 1509 local time on runway 3. The pilot followed I-65 north climbing to an adjusted altitude of approximately 2700 feet. At approximately 1518 local time, the pilot turned in a westerly direction approximately three miles south of lebanon, Indiana while descending to a last reported adjusted altitude of 1620 feet. At this point, the mode c transponder no longer reported altitude. The pilot then proceeded to perform a series of turns and maneuvers south and west of the town of lebanon, Indiana before impacting the ground at approximately 1539 local time, IN an area approximately 5 miles southwest of lebanon and 3 miles east of Advance.

The pilot was reported missing to local authorities on April 6, 2015. An alert notice was issued on April 10, 2015. Aircraft and crash site were located by the civil air patrol on April 12, 2015, at approximately 0840 local time.

The aircraft impacted the ground with only 4 feet of the tail visible in a near vertical attitude. Both wings had sheared off from the fuselage and lay on either side of the tail with no evidence or indicators that suggested a spin of any kind.

The debris field stretched out approximately 100 feet in a northerly direction, which was the direction of flight as presented by the orientation of the aircraft. The debris consisted mainly of very small shards of metal and plexiglas. There were three larger sections of sheet metal skin from the wings ranging in distances of 50 to 80 feet from the impact site.

A plastic ziploc bag was recovered from the wreckage containing the aircraft's airworthiness and registration certificates, the pilots certificate and medical certificate. The operating limitations were not present.

Examination of the wreckage indicated that there appeared to be continuity of all flight controls before impact but due to damage sustained, could not be definitively verified. The engine had broken into three pieces. All nine cylinders of the radial engine had separated from the crankcase and two pistons had separated from their connecting rods. The accessory drive had separated from the crank case and was still contained within the engine ring. The engine had separated from the engine mounts. A damaged portable garmin GPS and a dynon EFIS unit recovered from the wreckage were sent to the NTSB laboratory for potential data analysis.

This report may be amended at a future date.