N5287Yakovlev YAK 52 · 1987

On September 22, 2024, at about 1248 Pacific daylight time, a Nanchang CJ-6A, N313YK, and a Yakovlev Yak 52, N5287, were substantially damaged when they were involved in an accident from a midair collision near Lancaster, California. The pilot of the CJ-6A was fatally injured and the pilot of the Yak 52 received minor injuries. Both airplanes were operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights.

According to the pilot of the Yak 52, they had planned to fly in formation with the Yak 52 as the lead airplane and the CJ-6A following the Yak 52 off its right wing as “dash 2.” During the uneventful flight from Watsonville, California they briefed their detachment procedure over a shared radio frequency. The plan was for them to accelerate from 210 kph to 250 kph at which time the pilot of the CJ-6A would pitch up and bank left to continue his flight to Payson, Arizona while the pilot of the Yak 52 would continue onto San Diego, California.

The pilot of the Yak 52 stated that immediately after they accelerated to their planned speed he observed the CJ-6A pitch up and bank left. After looking away briefly, he observed the CJ-6A abeam as it began to overbank to about 120° and approached the Yak 52 in an approximately 35° nose low attitude. After the airplanes collided the pilot noticed that his propeller blades had separated and lost sight of the CJ-6A. A witness observed the CJ-6A roll right 4 times and then impact the ground, which was immediately followed by a plume of dust. The pilot of the Yak 52 made a left turn as he looked for a suitable place to land and eventually touched down on a nearby road.

The CJ-6A came to rest upright in desert terrain oriented on a northwestern heading at a field elevation of about 2,310 ft mean sea level (msl). Most of the major structural components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site with exception of the left elevator. The left side antenna from the vertical stabilizer was located about 0.5 nm west of the main wreckage. A ground scar was located beneath the right wing and another ground signature was located under the engine. A long lateral tear was observed in the left wing top skin collocated with multiple paint transfer marks and a portion of wooden propeller was embedded in the wing. The empennage, which was loosely attached to the aft fuselage, was comprised of the vertical stabilizer, both horizontal stabilizers and the right elevator.

The Yak 52 came to rest upright on the right edge of a road about 1.5 nm southeast of the CJ-6A oriented on a southeast heading at a field elevation of about 2,350 ft msl. The airplane’s major structures were accounted for at the accident site. The left wing exhibited a long chordwise tear from about mid span to the trailing edge surrounded by numerous paint transfer marks. The top of the cowling was crushed, a portion of the cowling had separated, and both propeller blades had separated at their blade roots.

Figure 1: N5287 Flight Track and accident site locations.