Sc Aerostar Sa YAK 52W N52KF

Summary

On 23 September 2017 at about 21:15 local time, a Sc Aerostar Sa YAK 52W registered N52KF was involved in an accident near El Cajon, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 2017 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

El Cajon, California, United States

Nearest airport

Gillespie Field (SEE)

Coordinates

32.8261, -116.9725

Aircraft

Sc Aerostar Sa YAK 52W

Registration

N52KF

Category

Airplane

Year built

1991

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Cajon → El Cajon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR17LA214

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during taxi after a reduction in braking performance and steering capabilities due to his failure to reopen the air supply valve after the nonstandard engine start.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After completing an uneventful preflight inspection, the pilot was unable to start the engine due to low pressure in the pneumatic system. An individual arrived with a tank of air to pressurize the system while the pilot remained in the airplane. The pilot shut off the compressed air supply valve, as required during a pneumatic system recharge; however, the recharge could not be accomplished due to an incorrect adapter. While the individual left to find the correct adapter, another individual offered to help start the engine manually by turning the propeller. After the engine started, the pilot forgot to reopen the compressed air supply valve and, during taxi, the airplane experienced a loss of braking performance that affected its steering capabilities (the steering is accomplished through differential braking, and the brake system requires pneumatic pressure to operate). The pilot was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane subsequently collided with a fence and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The checklist for the make/model airplane does not require the pilot to check the air pressure or valve position during the preflight, engine start, or before takeoff phases.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.