February 27, Ione, Calif. / Yakolev YAK 11

At 14:50 Pacific time, an experimental YAK 11 veered off the runway and struck a berm during takeoff at Eagles Nest private airport. The pilot received minor injuries. During takeoff on runway 1, the aircraft drifted off the right-hand edge of the runway and struck a berm at the mid-field taxiway. Impact with the berm damaged the landing gear and deflected the aircraft to the left and into the air, where it traveled back across the runway and came to rest in the dirt on the left side of the runway, about 3,000 feet from the start of the takeoff roll. The single-seat aircraft, modified for air racing, was assembled from U.S. and Russian aircraft components. The pilot had acquired the aircraft about 1 month before the accident and this was his first takeoff in it. The surface wind at Mather Field, 16-miles northwest of the accident site, was reported from 320 degrees at 16 knots with gusts to 22 knots.