- Date
- September 20, 2024, 12:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Watsonville, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-to runway: Ground collisionTaxi-to runway: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 195228
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The Yak-50 pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from another airplane while taxiing and maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inattention due to a distraction inside the cockpit.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N613BM · Yakovlev YAK-50
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N613BM · Yakovlev YAK-50
N6027F · Beech S35
Analysis
The pilot of the Yak-50 reported that he started taxiing from the airport transient area towards the active runway as the lead airplane for a formation training flight with three airplanes following behind. He remarked that there is no forward visibility in his tailwheel equipped airplane and typically completes S turns to improve his visibility. However, the pilot assumed the approaching run-up area was clear and was concerned that the airplane’s pneumatic system was low, so he decided not to perform any additional turns to conserve air. He traversed the intersecting runway and still did not accomplish an S turn because he was now distracted by the radio and still trying to conserve air. As he approached the engine run-up area he looked to the left and then looked to the right at which time he observed his right wingtip contact the propeller of the Beechcraft S35, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. According to the pilot of the Beechcraft S35, he had finished his engine run-up at the active runway and was waiting for airplanes to pass and takeoff before he departed. While configuring his radio for the flight he noticed movement on his left and observed the Yak-50 moving quickly. The Yak-50 did not follow the curve of the taxiway and its right wing impacted his airplane. The pilots of both airplanes reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that could have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N613BM
- Reported as
- Yakovlev YAK-50
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 842803
- Built
- 1984
- Engine
- Vedeneyev M-14PF, 400 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 31, 2024
- Airport
- WVI · Watsonville Muni, runway 20, 4,502 × 149 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N6027F
- Reported as
- Beech S35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-7895
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 5,306
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 22, 2024
- Destination
- SNS · Salinas, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N613BM
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,685 total · 1,600 in this make and model · 3,630 as pilot in command · 28.9 in the last 90 days · 11.3 in the last 30 days · 2.1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N6027F
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,236 total · 27 in this make and model · 4,648 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KWVI, 68 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KWVI 201953Z AUTO 16005KT 10SM OVC013 18/13 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP137 T01780128=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.4 MB in all.