Yao – Fukushima

On August 14, 2017 at 12:15 PM, Yao – Fukushima experienced a crash involving Socata TBM-700, operated by Sky West Aviation, with the event recorded near Yamazoe Kansai.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The single engine aircraft departed Yao Airport at 1157LT on a leisure flight to Fukushima, carrying one passenger and one pilot. Few minutes later, the pilot reported an unexpected situation to ATC and was cleared to return to Yao. At an altitude of 17,200 feet and a speed of 150 knots, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent, partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a hilly and wooded terrain near the village of Yamazoe, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N702AV, MSN 182, year of manufacture 2001.