Yakovlev Yak-52 accident near Loveland, Colorado, June 14, 2012
On June 14, 2012 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Yakovlev Yak-52, registered N76YK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Loveland, Colorado (Ft. Collins-Loveland Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadvertent closure of the pneumatic system valve, which resulted in the nose landing gear not fully extending before landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's reliance on the mechanical landing gear position indicators instead of the cockpit indicator lights to verify landing gear extension.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2012 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Loveland, Colorado · Ft. Collins-Loveland Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Yakovlev Yak-52 · all Yak-52s on the register
- Registration
- N76YK · no longer on the register · serial 855706
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the nose landing gear collapsed shortly after touchdown. The airplane came to rest nose down on the runway and a fuel-fed fire in the engine compartment ensued. Postaccident examination revealed that the pneumatic system valve, which should remain open for all operations, was in the closed position. This resulted in less pressure in the system than was needed to fully extend the nose landing gear before landing. When the pneumatic system valve was subsequently opened, the nose landing gear deployed rapidly into the down-and-locked position. The nose landing gear system components appeared to be undamaged. The pilot reported that earlier in the day he had opened the pneumatic valve and surmised that he must have inadvertently closed the pneumatic system valve before departing on the accident flight. The pilot reported that before landing he verified the position of the landing gear by referencing the mechanical barber-pole indicators, which suggested the landing gear was fully extended. However, the mechanical barber-pole indicators, which are located forward of the windscreen and in the pilot's sightline, should not be used as the primary indication of the landing gear position. The mechanical indicators are intended to be used in conjunction with the landing gear position indicator lights in the cockpit to ensure the landing gear is fully extended.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Pneumatic system › Pneumatic distribution system › Not used/operated
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,200 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 152 in the last 90 days; 82 in the last 30 days; 20,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 19, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,435 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,851 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Vedeneyev M14P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KGXY Greeley CO at 8:35 pm
- Destination: KFNL Loveland CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 8,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KFNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.