SHAFTER, Calif. (KERO) — One man is dead after the vintage plane he was flying crashed near Minter Field in Shafter.
The Kern County Fire Department says the man was flying a World War II plane that had been converted for air racing competition.
Several witnesses confirmed to 23ABC that the pilot was Sherman Smoot, considered a local legend in the air racing community. The Estrella Warbirds Museum in Paso Robles also confirmed the pilot was Smoot. Following a loss of engine power soon after take off , the Yakovlev Yak-11 (Let C-11) impacted open field terrain near Minter Field Airport (MIT/KMIT), Shafter, California.
The sole pilot was fatally injured. The pilot of the aircraft was not the registered owner.
Ex Egyptian AF 407 and modified as racer with a 2000hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 “Double Wasp” engine and named “Czech Mate”.
Accident Yakovlev Yak-11 (Let C-11) N5943, 02 Sep 2022 (aviation-safety.net)
Video report here
Sherman Smoot ‘Czech Mate’ Yak 11 Fatal Crash Bakersfield 2 Sept 2022 – YouTube
This comes just days after the ex- UK Yak 11 G-AYAK made a successful gear-up landing in a field in Germany .Narrative:
”A Yakovlev Yak-11 (Let C-11) made a forced landing in a field near Bergfelden, Sulz, Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, after a technical malfunction.
Both occupants were not injured and the aircraft received minor damage.
Ex N11YK, G-AYAK, OK-KIE”
Incident Yakovlev Yak-11 (Let C-11) N11RU, 30 Aug 2022 (aviation-safety.net)
By: trumper - 7th September 2022 at 12:10
R I P , Looks like he tried to turn back to base after loss of oil pressure ,a summary of the aircraft https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BsdpCnTJus
By: Zac Yates - 5th September 2022 at 23:44
A sad loss to the sport, both man and machine. Awful news. RARA had been making a lot of the expected three-way battle between CM, Dreadnought and Miss America for Unlimited Gold.
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September 5, 2022 at 4:36 pm