Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Jensen Beach, Florida 34957
Saturday, May 15, 2010 11:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After takeoff from a nearby airport, the pilot of the accident airplane commenced a series of aerobatic maneuvers at low altitude along a beach. Witnesses observed the airplane flying along the beach about 100 yards offshore in a northerly direction, descending from approximately 300 feet to approximately 50 feet above the water. It next entered a very abrupt and steep turn to the northeast, then went straight up while continuing to turn until it rolled out on a westerly heading toward a cluster of condominiums that lined the beach. The airplane once again made a sharp turn to the right (northbound), then pitched up sharply until it was upside down. It then pitched down, rolled about its longitudinal axis, and impacted the water nose first.
A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction of the airplane or engine. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Aerobatic Club consider the minimum altitude for aerobatic maneuvers to be 1,500 feet, which the pilot was well below when he commenced the maneuvers. Examination of a landing gear down light bulb revealed filament stretching, which indicated that the light bulb was energized prior to the airplane's impact with the water. Review of photographs taken of the airplane a few minutes prior to the accident and moments before it impacted the water, confirmed that the landing gear was extended. Review of the airplane’s pilot operating handbook revealed that the landing gear was supposed to be raised after takeoff and that the pilot was supposed to check for a landing gear up indication. The extended landing gear would have affected the airplane's performance and would have made the airplane slower to respond to the pilot's inputs. This, in combination with his decision to commence the aerobatic maneuvers at low altitude, resulted in his inability to recover prior to impacting the water.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to perform an aerobatic maneuver at a low altitude, which resulted in insufficient clearance from the water to conduct a recovery. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s extended landing gear, which resulted in a degradation of the airplane's performance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/15/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Jensen Beach |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34957 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 271714N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801231W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1147 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SUA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 16 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 18 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29072 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 18 2011 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6868Y |
| NTSB Number | ERA10LA266 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AEROSTAR S A |
| Aircraft Model | YAK-52 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 800606 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2877 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 9 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1015 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HOPKIN DON T |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | FORT LAUDERDALE |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33316-2960 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | HOPKIN DON T |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | FORT LAUDERDALE |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33316-2960 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SUA |
| Departure City | Stuart |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1130 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | SUA |
| Destination City | Stuart |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 18 2011 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |