Ascher Yakolev YAK 11 accident near Ione, California, February 27, 2001
On February 27, 2001 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Ascher Yakolev YAK 11, registered N18AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ione, California (Eagles Nest airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff run. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in the type aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2001 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ione, California · Eagles Nest · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ascher Yakolev YAK 11
- Registration
- N18AW · registry record · serial 25-111-20
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff on the 100-foot-wide runway, the experimental racing airplane drifted to the right-hand edge of the runway and then continued off the runway until it struck a berm at the midfield taxiway. Impact with the berm damaged the landing gear and deflected the aircraft to the left and into the air where it traveled back across the runway (airborne). The airplane came to rest in the dirt on the left side of the runway about 3,000 feet from the start of the takeoff roll. The single-seat aircraft, modified for air racing, was assembled from U.S. and Russian aircraft components. The pilot acquired the aircraft about 1 month before the accident and this was his first takeoff in it. There was a left, quartering crosswind at 16 knots with gusts to 22 knots.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 24,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 223 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2000; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,070 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1830 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ione at 10:50 pm
- Destination: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MHR, 18 miles away
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 N18AW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX01LA106.