Date:	Friday 7 September 2018
Time:	14:32 LT
Type:	Yakovlev Yak-9UM
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	VH-YIX
MSN:	0470409
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	19 km WNW of Latrobe Regional Airport, VIC -   Australia
Phase:	Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	Latrobe Regional Airport, VIC (TGN/YLTV)
Destination airport:	Latrobe Regional Airport, VIC (TGN/YLTV)
Investigating agency:	ATSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The Yakovlev Yak-9UM aeroplane, registered VH-YIX, departed Latrobe Regional Airport, Australia, for a local private flight. The aircraft was observed by witnesses to the north of Moe, Victoria performing aerobatic manoeuvers. A short time later the aircraft impacted the ground in a steep nose‑down attitude, fatally injuring the pilot and destroying the aircraft.

Contributing factors:
- While conducting aerobatic manoeuvers, the aircraft entered a spin and impacted terrain.
- The pilot initiated aerobatics lower than his flight activity endorsement permitted and well below the height required to safely recover the YAK 9 from a spin.
- The pilot had limited experience and recency in the YAK 9 and had not previously conducted aerobatics in the aircraft. He was therefore likely unaware of its unique handling characteristics and not adequately prepared to conduct the solo aerobatic flight.

Other factors that increased risk:
- The rear canopy was unsecured before take-off and consequently separated from the aircraft during flight. This increased the risk of damage to aircraft structure, distraction of the pilot and possibly adverse handling qualities.
- Post-accident examination of the aircraft identified incomplete maintenance practices, including inadequate airframe anti‑corrosion measures and insecure primary flight controls and seat fasteners.
- The aircraft was operated without the maintenance release or the flight manual, which deprived the pilot of important operational and maintenance‑related information.

https://m.facebook.com/atsbgovau/photos/a.1655527014665323/2171676679717018/?type=3&theater
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/police-investigating-light-plane-crash-in-country-victoria/news-story/6d149767b82c36242c20c2eff4f0d244
https://www.9news.com.au/videos/national/cjlrkvnin000x0it2v8uci5ew/attempted-murderers-almost-blow-themselves-up-in-calwell-shooting

Data________________________

https://www.casa.gov.au/aircraft-register?search_api_views_fulltext=&vh=YIX&field_ar_serial=
Previous incident of VH-YIX, 2015 : https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=179310

ATSB_______________________

https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2018/aair/ao-2018-061/

Other occurrences involving this aircraft


6 September 2015

VH-YIX

Ganot Pty Ltd

0

Tyabb Airport, Tyabb, VIC

sub

Photo: Robert Frola, 15 March 2009

Avalon, Victoria, 27MAR2007

Photo: ATSB

#BREAKING: A light plane has crashed at Tanjil South in Gippsland. @IzaStaskowski is LIVE. #9News pic.twitter.com/xxYnrGBoyY

— Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) 7 septembre 2018

The ATSB is investigating the fatal accident of a Yakovlev Yak-9UM warbird aircraft, which occurred near Moe, Victoria, on Friday afternoon. Initial information is the aircraft collided with terrain approx 20km west of Latrobe Valley Airport. Read more: https://t.co/Wd3Yht7RgX pic.twitter.com/MyLTAGYK8n

— ATSB (@atsbinfo) 7 septembre 2018

Australia - The Yak-9 aircraft crashed in a paddock near Moe-Rawson Road, Tanjil South in Gippsland, about 2.35pm. The single occupant died at the scene.https://t.co/ds4c1BeTEU pic.twitter.com/zFgFahl5B8

— Planes Of Legend (@PlanesOfLegend) 7 septembre 2018

Pilot dies in Yak-9 plane crash east of Melbourne.https://t.co/a4surZBGeN via @ABCNews pic.twitter.com/JLqTF4T4eh

— Planes Of Legend (@PlanesOfLegend) 7 septembre 2018

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Sep-2018 07:15	Iceman 29	Added
07-Sep-2018 07:32	Iceman 29	Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, ]
07-Sep-2018 07:32	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, Narrative, ]
07-Sep-2018 07:33	Iceman 29	Updated [Time, ]
07-Sep-2018 07:45	Iceman 29	Updated [Embed code, ]
07-Sep-2018 07:48	Iceman 29	Updated [Total fatalities, Embed code, ]
07-Sep-2018 07:56	Iceman 29	Updated [Registration, Phase, Source, ]
07-Sep-2018 09:28	harro	Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Nature, Photo, ]
07-Sep-2018 09:31	harro	Updated [Source, ]
07-Sep-2018 11:34	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Embed code, ]
07-Sep-2018 11:56	Iceman 29	Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, Photo, ]
07-Sep-2018 16:16	Aerossurance	Updated [Location, Narrative, ]
09-Sep-2018 07:39	Libfan	Updated [Photo, ]
15-Nov-2018 11:35	Iceman 29	Updated [Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ]
17-Jun-2020 08:24	harro	Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Photo, Accident report, ]
17-Jun-2020 08:33	harro	Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Accident report, ]