September 10, Washington, Ct. / Yakovlev YAK-52

At 20:23 eastern time, a Yakovlev YAK-52 crashed during a severe rainstorm near Washington, killing the pilot. The flight was en route from Wurtsboro, N.Y., to Providence, R.I., on the last leg of a flight from Arlington, Wash. The pilot had just purchased the airplane and was flying it home. The airplane was equipped for IMC flight, but the previous owner warned the pilot not to fly in IMC or night VFR because the layout of the flight instrument panel was unconventional. Weather radar showed an area of heavy precipitation at the accident site at the time of the crash. Two witnesses reported hearing the plane pass close to their house and then heard and felt the impact, and then smelled a fi...

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A Yakovlev YAK-52 crashed during a severe rainstorm near Washington, killing the pilot who had just purchased the aircraft.
  • The pilot had been warned by the previous owner not to fly the plane in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) due to an unconventional instrument panel layout, despite the aircraft being equipped for IMC flight.
  • Weather radar indicated heavy precipitation at the accident site at the time of the crash, and witnesses heard the impact but did not investigate until the next morning due to the rain.
See a mistake? Contact us.

At 20:23 eastern time, a Yakovlev YAK-52 crashed during a severe rainstorm near Washington, killing the pilot. The flight was en route from Wurtsboro, N.Y., to Providence, R.I., on the last leg of a flight from Arlington, Wash. The pilot had just purchased the airplane and was flying it home. The airplane was equipped for IMC flight, but the previous owner warned the pilot not to fly in IMC or night VFR because the layout of the flight instrument panel was unconventional. Weather radar showed an area of heavy precipitation at the accident site at the time of the crash. Two witnesses reported hearing the plane pass close to their house and then heard and felt the impact, and then smelled a fire. Because of the heavy rain, they did not investigate until the next morning.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE