Yakovlev Yak 52 accident near Claremore, Oklahoma, July 23, 2005
On July 23, 2005 at about 6:26 pm local time, a Yakovlev Yak 52, registered N2331C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Claremore, Oklahoma (Claremore Regional airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain adequate airspeed while executing a low altitude aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall while inverted. A factor was the low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2005 · about 6:26 pm local time
- Place
- Claremore, Oklahoma · Claremore Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Yakovlev Yak 52 · all Yak 52s on the register
- Registration
- N2331C · no longer on the register · serial 899307
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,700-hour pilot was performing a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver on takeoff as part of an air show routine. A witness, who was hired to professionally videotape the airshow and was familiar with the pilot's flight routine said, the initial takeoff roll and rotation were normal, but the airplane was slower than usual. When the pilot rolled inverted the pitch angle was higher than normal and the typical gain in airspeed did not occur. The airplane's right wing was low as pitch angle increased, and the elevator was in the full down position. The witness said it looked as if the airplane was in an "inverted stall situation." The airplane subsequently descended into the runway inverted and a post-impact fire ensued.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,789 hours in all; 542 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,267 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 1, 2004; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,328 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Vendeneyev M14-P (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: GCM Claremore OK at 6:26 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:12 pm from GCM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N2331C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.