The pilot of the Yak-50 reported that he started taxiing from the transient area at the airport in Watsonville, California, towards the active runway as the lead airplane for a formation training flight with three airplanes following behind.
He told investigators that there is no forward visibility in his tailwheel-equipped airplane and he typically completes S-turns to improve his visibility. However, he 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. That’s when 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 take off 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 hit his airplane.
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.
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This September 2024 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Leave a Reply