# NTSB LAX02LA202: Yakovlev YAK 52, N644LL, Antioch, CA, June 18, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 18, 2002, 12:20 local (19:20 UTC) - Place: Antioch, CA - Coordinates: 37.935832, -121.76667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9358&lon=-121.7667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 54977 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA202 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54977/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54977 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA202 ## Probable cause The loss of control while performing acrobatic maneuvers due to a screwdriver restricting elevator travel. A contributing factor was the airplane's fuselage not being sterile of foreign objects. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - flt control syst,elevator control - restricted (cause) - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command - fuselage - foreign object (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis A witness located north east of the accident site, observed the airplane "starting a vertical climb, slowly rolling over and diving straight down." The witness stated that the airplane "never appeared to be trying to pull out of the dive." Subsequently, the witness lost sight of the airplane behind a mountain, and heard the "sound of impact." Examination of the wreckage revealed a screwdriver located in the aft section of the fuselage. Multiple witness marks were observed around the elevator bellcrank housing, and numerous gouges on the screwdriver. When the screwdriver was placed between the elevator bellcrank and housing, and the bellcrank moved by hand, the elevator control was restricted to the neutral position. The energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis performed on the screwdriver conclusively demonstrated that the screwdriver was lodged between the various structural items. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 18, 2002, at 1220 pacific daylight time, a Yakovlev Yak 52 single-engine aerobatic airplane, N644LL, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Antioch, California. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by another private individual. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the Livermore Municipal Airport, near Livermore, California, at 1005, and was destined for the Buchanan Field (CCR), near Concord, California. A witness, located northeast of the accident site, observed the airplane "starting a vertical climb, slowly rolling over and diving straight down." The witness stated the airplane "never appeared to be trying to pull out of the dive." Subsequently, the witness lost sight of the airplane behind a mountain and heard the "sound of impact." PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane multi-engine land rating, a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, and instrument airplane ratings. He also held a flight instructor certificate with an airplane single-engine land, airplane multi-engine land and instrument airplane ratings, issued on December 6th, 1999. The pilot received a type rating in the Beech BE-300 aircraft on November 16, 2000. Review of the pilot's logbooks revealed that the pilot had accumulated a total of 2,688.1 hours of flight time, of which 21.3 hours were in the last 90 calendar days prior to the date of the accident. The pilot had accumulated a total of 41.8 hours in the accident make/model aircraft, 11.1 of which were within the last 30 days prior to the accident. The pilot was issued a first class medical certificate on August 1, 2000, with a limitation requiring that the holder to wear corrective lenses. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The Yak 52 airplane was a tandem seat, fully aerobatic aircraft, capable of G loading limits from +7g to -5g. The Russian-built primary trainer was manufactured in May of 1983. The airplane was powered by a 360-horsepower nine-cylinder Ivchenko M-14P radial engine, driving a two-bladed counter-clockwise rotating, constant speed wooden propeller. Information provided by the owner of the airplane revealed that the airplane was imported to the United States from Lithuania in June of 2000. Review of the aircraft and engine logbooks revealed the airframe, engine, and propeller underwent their most recent annual inspection on July 15, 2001, accumulating a total of 1,144.6 hours total time. The engine accumulated 140.2 hours since major overhaul that was performed by the factory in Lithuania on January, 23, 2000. The flight controls on the Yak-52 may be operated from either the front or rear seat; however, the pilot in command typically occupies the front seat. Elevator control was obtained by a push rod that links the forward and aft control sticks and are connected to a bellcrank assembly below the rear seat. Cables connected to the bellcrank assembly ran through the aft fuselage to an elevator bellcrank that has the elevator counterweights attached, and was connected to the elevator control surfaces. To achieve full nose-up elevator, the bellcrank and counterweight passed through an opening in the fuselage into the vertical stabilizer. The fuselage of the Yak-52 was open from the forward firewall aft to the tail section that houses the bellcrank assembly. There are no bulkheads, or barriers to restrict foreign objects from traveling throughout the fuselage of the airplane. Inspection of the aft section of the empennage is obtained from the rear seat in the cabin, but is limited by an electrical equipment rack that is located just aft of the rear seat. An inspection panel is located under the left horizontal stabilizer that allows for inspection of the aft section of the fuselage. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage was located on the 105-degree radial of the CCR VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR) at 15 nautical miles. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported the airplane came to rest inverted in a shallow crater within a hard surfaced rural field. All flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident site, and control continuity was established from cockpit controls aft to the empennage. The wreckage debris distribution area remained within a 30-foot radius of the main wreckage. Both wings were crushed aft, and the engine was crushed aft into the cabin area. The airplane exhibited signs of a near vertical impact. Cockpit instrumentation was not documented due to the extent of the damage. On July 9, 2003, at the facilities of Plain Parts, near Pleasant Grove, California, the NTSB examined the wreckage and discovered a red and clear plastic flat-bladed screwdriver that was located in the aft section of the fuselage. The screwdriver was approximately six inches in length, four inches round, and exhibited numerous gouge and scrape marks. A green substance was found deep within some of the gouges. On August 4, 2003, the NTSB further examined the tail section of the airplane. Several witness marks were found around the elevator bellcrank and counterweight housing area. A red substance was found on the end of the lower elevator bellcrank cable. The bellcrank housing area, bellcrank, and screwdriver were sent to the NTSB materials laboratory in Washington, DC, for further examination. Examination of the screwdriver, bellcrank, and bellcrank housing was conducted in the NTSB Office of Research and Engineering, Materials Laboratory Division on August 20, 2003. The screwdriver, bellcrank, and bellcrank housing were examined using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to qualitatively determine the chemical composition of the green substance located within the damage on the screwdriver handle, the clear area on the screw driver handle away from areas of damage, and the red material on the end of the lower bellcrank cable. The EDS spectra for the green substance located within the damage on the screwdriver handle had a high peak of silicon with smaller peaks of carbon, magnesium, aluminum, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, calcium, titanium, chromium, iron, and zinc. The clear areas away from the damage had a high peak of carbon with lower peaks of oxygen and silicon. Samples of paint from the bellcrank housing, including the inner green layers and an outer white layer, were removed. The inner (green) side was examined and the resulting spectrum had high peaks of zinc and carbon with smaller peaks of oxygen, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, titanium, and chromium. The EDS spectra for the red material on the cable end for the lower cable had a high peak of silicon with smaller peaks of carbon, oxygen, zinc, magnesium, aluminum, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc. The EDS spectrum for the cable material showed a high peak of iron with smaller peaks of carbon, oxygen, and zinc. The EDA spectrum showed a high peak of carbon and smaller peaks of oxygen, aluminum, silicon, and potassium. When the screwdriver was placed between the elevator bellcrank and housing, and the bellcrank moved by hand, full up elevator control was restricted to the neutral position. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION At 1253, the automated surface observing system at CCR reported wind from 280-degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky conditions clear, temperature 91 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 48 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 29.83 inches of Mercury. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL An autopsy was performed on the pilot o ## Aircraft - Registration: [N644LL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N644LL-2002-11-26), registration cancelled 2002-11-26, S/N 833310 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Yakovlev YAK 52 - Registry model: [Yakovlev YAK 52](https://openairdocs.org/model/yakovlev-yak-52) (registry code 9830220) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 833310 - Airframe hours: 1164.1 - Engines: Ivchenko M14-P 360 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Raymond S. Puddy - Registered owner: Melinda M. Whiteway - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 15, 2001, 197.2 hours before - Departed: Livermore, CA - Destination: CCR, Concord, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: fatal; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 16, 2000; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,688 total, 42 in this make and model, 42 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: CCR, 16 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020618016139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020618016139A), Jun 18, 2002: Yaklev YAK52, Antioch, CA, No damage, 1 fatal. (-23) Witnesses saw the aircraft conducting low level aerobatics when it crashed. The aircraft impacted vertical. (.19) on June 18, 2002, at 1238 pacific… ## Docket (24 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2004, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54977. 8.4 MB in all. - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 03-092 (item 1, .PDF, 3 photos, 695 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40195972&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2003-092-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 476 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447777&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 3, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447778&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 4, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447779&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 5, .PDF, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40447780&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo 01: View of the accident site. (item 6, .PDF, 338 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204193&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2001%3A%20View%20of%20the%20accident%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 02: View of the accident site. (item 7, .PDF, 316 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204196&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2002%3A%20View%20of%20the%20accident%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 03: View of empennage. (item 8, .PDF, 262 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204197&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2003%3A%20View%20of%20empennage.-Master.PDF - Photo 04: Aft view of empennage (item 9, .PDF, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204198&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2004%3A%20Aft%20view%20of%20empennage-Master.PDF - Photo 05: View of the bellcrank housing area. (item 10, .PDF, 233 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204199&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2005%3A%20View%20of%20the%20bellcrank%20housing%20area.-Master.PDF - Photo 06: View of the bellcrank housing area. (item 11, .PDF, 376 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204201&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2006%3A%20View%20of%20the%20bellcrank%20housing%20area.-Master.PDF - Photo 07: View of the cable and bellcrank. (item 12, .PDF, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204204&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2007%3A%20View%20of%20the%20cable%20and%20bellcrank.-Master.PDF - Photo 08: View of the screwdriver inside the empennage. (item 13, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2008%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver%20inside%20the%20empennage.-Master.PDF - Photo 09: Markings on the left side of the bellcrank housing. (item 14, .PDF, 145 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204208&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2009%3A%20Markings%20on%20the%20left%20side%20of%20the%20bellcrank%20housing.-Master.PDF - Photo 10: Markings on the aft section of the bellcrank housing area. (item 15, .PDF, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204210&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010%3A%20Markings%20on%20the%20aft%20section%20of%20the%20bellcrank%20housing%20area.-Master.PDF - Photo 11: Markings on the right side of the bellcrank housing area. (item 16, .PDF, 156 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204211&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2011%3A%20Markings%20on%20the%20right%20side%20of%20the%20bellcrank%20housing%20area.-Master.PDF - Photo 12: View of the screwdriver. (item 17, .PDF, 1000 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204212&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2012%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 13: View of the screwdriver. (item 18, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204214&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2013%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 14: View of the screwdriver. (item 19, .PDF, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204216&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2014%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 15: View of the screwdriver. (item 20, .PDF, 172 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204227&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2015%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 16: View of the screwdriver. (item 21, .PDF, 170 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204229&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2016%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 17: View of the screwdriver. (item 22, .PDF, 175 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204230&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2017%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 18: View of the screwdriver. (item 23, .PDF, 178 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204234&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2018%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF - Photo 19: View of the screwdriver. (item 24, .PDF, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40204235&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2019%3A%20View%20of%20the%20screwdriver.-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.