Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

[johnnyrace]

Pilot is okay, but Yak 3 heavily damaged

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gz07Q5Etyjc

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

Pilot is okay, but Yak 3 heavily damaged

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gz07Q5Etyjc

Yes was a terrible shame that the incident happened, it is being investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority of NZ and the show organisers are working with them to find out how it happened.
Despite what some are saying in media around the net, emergency services were on the scene within 1min of the airplane coming to rest and the pilot was out of the airplane on his own with no assistance which is awesome!
I was on the grounds at the time of the incident, but have absolutely no footage or images, and if i did, i would have submitted them to CAA only.
Many have said why did the pilot not see the objects, the Runway at Wanaka has a hump in it and where he touched down was on one side of the hump, and the objects were on the other side, and when the Yaks are in 3 point attitude, like most WWII V12 fighters there is little forward vis.

[Colbourne]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

Has it been suggested to fit cameras to tail dragger aircraft to improve forward vision. It seems this would make landings , taxing and takeoffs much safer at very little cost.

I was at Wanaka this year and it appears that the crash was caused by the cancelling of the F-16 flypast which would have used the pyrotechnics mounted on the cherry picker, and as the F-16 was not intended to land the interference on the grass runway would not have been a problem. Quickly changing the airshow to start with the Yak-3 caused the confusion.

[supercub]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

Hump in the Runway is why he didn't see the equipment? He should have visually cleared the landing area when on Downwind, Base or/and on Final..........so the hump does NOT factor into the accident. I've landed, as I'm sure several of you have, at places, especially off airport where you can't see the other end of the roll out area, and again, you clear the area prior to landing.
From what I've read about this accident is: The pilot actually for some unknown reason landed between the paved runway and a parallel grass runway. Pilots were briefed NOT to land in this area, and it was also marked with a large X. Pilots were also told of equipment being parked in this area. For some reason, the pilot elected to ignore this and landed in this area anyway, with the following consequences. Some have commented that it appeared that he was faster then normal on approach and touchdown.
I've looked at a couple of videos, and I can't tell for certain, but a couple seconds before striking the cherry pickers, it appears that the right main rolls through a low spot, causing the airplane to slightly swing to the right. It's hard to tell because of the angle and camera zooming. A slight change in heading at this point might have made the difference in missing or hitting the equipment.
Just an observation.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

"He should have visually cleared the landing area when on Downwind, Base or/and on Final..........so the hump does NOT factor into the accident."

My thoughts exactly, this could have been avoided.

Glad there were not injuries.

[Fence Sence]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

"He should have visually cleared the landing area when on Downwind, Base or/and on Final..........so the hump does NOT factor into the accident."

My thoughts exactly, this could have been avoided.

Glad there were not injuries.

x2. Why didn’t he land on the runway?

[JetsareforKids]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

Lots of Monday morning quarterbacking here, accidents involve a chain of factors that fall into place leading up to the end result. Could it have been avoided? Were mistakes made? Of course, but flying airplanes, especially old taildraggers with big motors and limited visibility involves risks. As for installing video cameras for take off and landing, don’t hold your breath, maybe drone racing would be more your style.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

Hump in the Runway is why he didn't see the equipment? He should have visually cleared the landing area when on Downwind, Base or/and on Final..........so the hump does NOT factor into the accident. I've landed, as I'm sure several of you have, at places, especially off airport where you can't see the other end of the roll out area, and again, you clear the area prior to landing.
From what I've read about this accident is: The pilot actually for some unknown reason landed between the paved runway and a parallel grass runway. Pilots were briefed NOT to land in this area, and it was also marked with a large X. Pilots were also told of equipment being parked in this area. For some reason, the pilot elected to ignore this and landed in this area anyway, with the following consequences. Some have commented that it appeared that he was faster then normal on approach and touchdown.
I've looked at a couple of videos, and I can't tell for certain, but a couple seconds before striking the cherry pickers, it appears that the right main rolls through a low spot, causing the airplane to slightly swing to the right. It's hard to tell because of the angle and camera zooming. A slight change in heading at this point might have made the difference in missing or hitting the equipment.
Just an observation.

Were you in the briefing? It has been quoted in the media from a PILOT who WAS in the briefing that all pilots were clearly told that ALL of the grass area was available for use. I have also been told by a person who WAS in the briefing that it is correct, pilots were told that the WHOLE of the grass was available to use.
Oh here is the media coverage defending the pilot... https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/wanaka...-show-defended

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

I was at Wanaka this year and it appears that the crash was caused by the cancelling of the F-16 flypast which would have used the pyrotechnics mounted on the cherry picker, and as the F-16 was not intended to land the interference on the grass runway would not have been a problem. Quickly changing the airshow to start with the Yak-3 caused the confusion.

The F-16s were not going to be using the cherry pickers at all, they were there for the LSA/STOL airplanes, they were all fitted with paintball guns, and were meant to be shooting at targets strung between the cherry pickers on each side of the runway.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

x2. Why didn’t he land on the runway?

A number of the warbird flyers here in NZ prefer where available to use the grass runways, which there are still plenty of being used, and many smaller airfields like Wanaka have parallel grass runways in operation. Full noise at the time Arthur was landing was not far ahead on the sealed runway landing if memory serves correct

[supercub]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

Were you in the briefing? It has been quoted in the media from a PILOT who WAS in the briefing that all pilots were clearly told that ALL of the grass area was available for use. I have also been told by a person who WAS in the briefing that it is correct, pilots were told that the WHOLE of the grass was available to use.
Oh here is the media coverage defending the pilot... https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/wanaka...-show-defended

No, I was not at the briefing, that's why I mentioned, "from what I've read".
Yes, it's very easy to Monday morning quarterback and accident, for all I know, this could have been an emergency landing with no other choice of a landing area, other then the one used.
However, with all that said, if it was a normal landing, under typical conditions, it's still up to the pilot in command to clear the landing area.
As far as having limited forward visibility, I have several thousand hours instructing from the back seat of tail draggers with limited or not forward visibility in the three point attitude.........and haven't hit anything, and hopefully I'll continue to clear the area while airborne prior to each landing.
I'm just glad the pilot wasn't injured, or anyone else for that matter. It's to bad the plane was damaged, that will be expensive to fix, I couldn't tell, but I wouldn't be surprise there's some damage done to the fuselage as well...........luckily airplanes can be repaired. Hope to see the plane back in the air soon.

[Colbourne]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

The F-16s were not going to be using the cherry pickers at all, they were there for the LSA/STOL airplanes, they were all fitted with paintball guns, and were meant to be shooting at targets strung between the cherry pickers on each side of the runway.

The point I was making was that the F-16 was not expected to land, so the cherry pickers would not be a problem for it. When the show was changed to the Yak-3 , they were still in position , even though a runway was required.

[MerlinV12]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

That looks not to bad can be fixed.

[kiwiracefan]

Re: Yak 3 Crash at Wanaka

That looks not to bad can be fixed.

The airplane was just about settled after the impact but the right gear collapsed and the prop struck the ground