Yakovlev/Day YAK-11 accident near Culpeper, Virginia, June 8, 2009
On June 8, 2009 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Yakovlev/Day YAK-11, registered N7YK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Culpeper, Virginia (Culpeper Regional 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2009 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Culpeper, Virginia · Culpeper Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Yakovlev/Day YAK-11
- Registration
- N7YK · no longer on the register · serial 51-24D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during the landing roll in the experimental tailwheel airplane, the airplane drifted to the right slowly into a grassy area and struck a drainage ditch. The pilot stated that he applied left brake to correct for the drift, but was unsuccessful. After the accident, the airplane was placed on jacks to allow the left main wheel assembly to be rotated. The right brake line was capped off and the brake system was serviced. Once the preparation was complete, the left wheel was rotated by hand. When pressure was applied to the left brake pedal, the left wheel stopped rotating. Additional pressure was applied in an attempt to move the left wheel, with no success. The left brake functioned properly during the test and no other preimpact anomalies were noted. The winds were recorded as calm about the time of the accident.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,700 hours in all; 77 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 27, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 1, 2009; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,379 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison V1710 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CJR Culpeper VA at 1:45 pm
- Destination: CJR Culpeper VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:02 pm from CJR
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.