Tool Found In Wreckage May Have Jammed Controls

The investigation of an accident involving a Yak 52 which went down near Feilding, New Zealand last month is focusing on a screwdriver found in the wreckage. Investigators are trying to determine if the tool could have jammed the controls of the Russian-built aircraft.

YAK 52 File Photo

Two doctors were fatally injured when the plane went down about 25 minutes after takeoff, according to several media sources including TVNZ. They were identified as Dr. Ralph Saxe and Dr. Brett Ireland. The CAA describes the screwdriver found in the wreckage as 'stubby'.

The screwdriver is the focus of the investigation because a similar accident in a Yak 52 that occurred in the UK in 2003 was found to have been caused by a screwdriver which found its way to the tailcone and became jammed in the control mechanisms.

TVNZ reports that the CAA has contacted all Yak 52 owners in the country advising them to carefully inspect their airplanes for any foreign objects that could become jammed in the controls before any further aerobatic flight.

FMI: www.caa.govt.nz