# NTSB WPR09CA481: S.C. Aerostar YAK-52W, N691T, Kaunakakai, HI, July 25, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 25, 2009, 02:30 local (12:30 UTC) - Place: Kaunakakai, HI - Coordinates: 21.147777, -157.258331 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.1478&lon=-157.2583&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 1, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 75683 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09CA481 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75683/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75683 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA481 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while in the airport traffic pattern in dark night conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Terrain: sloped/uneven terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition; cases with it: [SC Aerostar YAK-52W, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md?model=05607AN), [All aircraft, 270 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021017/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [SC Aerostar YAK-52W, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=05607AN), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [SC Aerostar YAK-52W, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=05607AN), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [SC Aerostar YAK-52W, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=05607AN), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was returning to his home airport in dark night conditions. He performed a low approach, about 50 feet above the runway, to clear it of any wildlife that may have been present. After turning into the crosswind leg, he turned off the landing lights due to a high ambient glare that left him with a partial loss of night vision for a few seconds. He also stated that he neglected to set the elevator trim to maximum up, and that he had maintained a full cruise power setting. He reported that the altimeter was dark and not readable after he turned into the downwind leg of the approach. Shortly afterward the airplane unexpectedly contacted the ground, which resulted in structural damage to both wings and the fuselage. The airplane came to rest in an upright position in a nose-down attitude. The downwind portion of the traffic pattern is on a gradual slope that is about 200 feet higher than the runway. The pilot reported that he had made numerous night landings to his home airport. On the accident landing he did not cross-check the altimeter during the approach and had not properly configured the airplane for landing. He added that if he would have followed his normal regimen, and configured the airplane properly, the airplane would have been about 1,000 feet higher than it was when it impacted the terrain. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airframe or engine at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he was returning to his home airport in dark night conditions. He performed a low approach, about 50 feet above the runway, to clear it of any wildlife that may have been present. After turning crosswind, he turned off the landing lights due to a high ambient glare that left him with a partial loss of night vision for a few seconds. He also stated that he neglected to set the elevator trim to maximum up, and that he had maintained a full cruise power setting. He reported that the altimeter was dark and not readable after he turned onto downwind. Shortly after turning onto the downwind, the airplane unexpectedly contacted the ground, which resulted in structural damage to both wings and the fuselage. The airplane came to rest in an upright position in a nose down attitude. The downwind portion of the traffic pattern is on a gradual slope that is about 200 feet higher than the runway. The pilot reported that he had made numerous night landings to his home airport. On the accident landing he did not cross-check the altimeter during the approach, and had not properly configured the airplane for landing. He added that if he would have followed his normal regimen, and configured the airplane properly, the airplane would have been about 1,000 feet higher than it was when it impacted the terrain. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airframe or engine at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N691T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N691T-2017-07-20), registration cancelled 2017-07-20, S/N 9912202, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: S.C. Aerostar S.A. YAK-52W - Registry model: [SC Aerostar YAK-52W](https://openairdocs.org/model/sc-aerostar-yak-52w) (registry code 05607AN) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 9912202 - Airframe hours: 540 - Engines: Vedeneyev M14P 360 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: John Hutton Corp - Registered owner: John Hutton Corp - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special); Standard, Utility; Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 5, 2009, 19 hours before - Departed: HNL, Honolulu, HI - Destination: HI49, Kaunakakai, HI - Airport: HI49, Panda Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 16, 2010; seat: front; flight hours: 22,000 total, 330 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: HNL, 40 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 20090725054039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090725054039A), Jul 25, 2009: Sc Aerostar YAK-52W, Maunaloa, HI, Destroyed. Unintended contact with former pineapple field at 120 knots, level attitude. One wooded prop severed causing imbalance to engine which then tore loose from its… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75683. 312 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 312 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40329371&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.