- Date
- July 9, 1994, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Plymouth, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4685RPezetel M-18 Dromader
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 26, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940709018129A
- Case key
- 41971
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The rudder being jammed in almost the full left position.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While making an aerial application, the pilot pulled up and initiated a left turn to align for his next run. While rolling into the turn, the pilot applied a considerable amount of left rudder. As the turn progressed, the pilot initiated a descent, and attempted to roll out of the turn. As he applied right rudder, he found that the rudder had jammed to the left, and being close to the ground, he was unable to recover prior to the aircraft impacting the terrain.
Factual narrative
On July 9, 1994, at 1530 Pacific daylight time, a Pezetel M- 18 Dromader, N4685R, collided with terrain while maneuvering to make a pass for aerial application on fields 8 miles west of Plymouth, Washington. The airline transport rated pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received minor injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.
According to the pilot, as he pulled up to make a left turn, he applied considerable left rudder. As he entered the descending part of the turn, he began to roll out, and attempted to apply right rudder, but the rudder pedals were jammed in almost the full left rudder position. Being low to the ground, the pilot was unable to arrest the descending turn before the aircraft impacted the terrain.
Inspection of the rudder and the rudder control system did not reveal the reason why the system jammed.
The pilot was sent copies of NTSB Form 6120.1/2 on two separate occasions, but in both instances he elected not to return them.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4685R
- Reported as
- Pezetel M-18 Dromader (M-18 DROM)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1Z012-09
- Engine
- reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Faw Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- S22 · Hermiston, OR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4685R · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.