Yakovlev YAK 52 N52VY accident near Redlands, California

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and altitude sufficient to recover from a low-level aerobatic maneuver.

NTSB analysis

Witnesses reported that the pilot completed several loops and other aerobatic maneuvers over the course of about 10 minutes. The airplane then began a spin from a low altitude and continued in a "corkscrew" path until colliding with the ground. Ground scar analysis and wreckage fragmentation disclosed that the airplane impacted in a slight nose-low attitude at a relatively low airspeed, an indication that the pilot was likely recovering from the spin at the time of impact. An examination of the wreckage revealed that all major components were accounted for at the accident site; flight control continuity could not be established due to the extensive fragmentation of the wreckage. The pilot had amassed 21.1 hours flight time in the make/model airplane, which included 7.7 hours of dual aerobatic training and 5.2 hours of solo aerobatic time.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10FA131 for the full record.