Aerostar, S.A YAK 52 accident near Fullerton, California, November 1, 1996
On November 1, 1996 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Aerostar, S.A YAK 52, registered N207YK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fullerton, California (Fullerton Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power due to an undetermined internal carburetor malfunction. A factor relating to the accident was: the directions that were use for reassembly of the aircraft were written only in Russian.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 1996 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar, S.A YAK 52
- Registration
- N207YK · registry record · serial 9611913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was a new production airplane, which was manufactured in Romania, then was disassembled and shipped in a crate to the United States. This was the first flight following reassembly of the aircraft. The aircraft had been run on the ground for 50 minutes, and a high speed taxi test had been completed. Shortly after takeoff, a loss of engine power occurred. The pilot landed on the runway, but insufficient runway was remaining to stop before colliding with a building and a fence at the departure end of the runway. The powerplant was a Russian manufactured 9-cylinder radial engine with a pressure carburetor. The pilot said he believed that the carburetor malfunctioned. The aircraft was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector with the assistance of a Russian factory trained technician. The carburetor was removed from the engine and a used/serviceable one was installed in its place. The engine was then started and exercised through the normal power range with no problem noted. The technician stated that disassembly of the carburetor required special tools available only at the factory. The inspector reported that the directions for disassembling the aircraft were used as a checklist/reference for reassembling the aircraft, and that the directions were written only in Russian. The Russian technician said that '. . . the factory did not do one or two steps on the checklist.'
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,550 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,838 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Vendeneyev M14P (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Biggles Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: FUL CA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.