Yakovlev YAK-18T N9418

Summary

On 27 October 1996 at about 18:50 local time, a Yakovlev YAK-18T registered N9418 was involved in an accident near Berlin, New Jersey, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 October 1996 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Berlin, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Camden County (19N)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Yakovlev YAK-18T

Registration

N9418

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC97FA011

2 people died.

an inadequate preflight by unknown person(s), sometime before the flight, by failing to avoid a hydraulic lock (from oil seepage) in the #5 cylinder, which resulted in a bent connecting rod, subsequent failure of the #5 piston, and loss of engine power. Also causal was: the flight crew's failure to maintain adequate control of the aircraft and/or clearance from a tree, while maneuvering for an emergency landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was on a demonstration flight with a prospective buyer in the left front seat & the co-owners in the right front & a rear seat. A witness said the airplane was above the airport when a puff of white smoke came from the exhaust, & the engine lost power. The gear was extended, & the pilot(s) entered a left turn to circle & descend for a forced landing at the airport. The left seat pilot said the right seat pilot abandoned the controls, saying 'You have it.' He also said that before entering an uncontrolled descent, the right seat pilot yelled, 'We're not going to make it,' then he grabbed the controls, yanked back, and the airplane half snap rolled & dove into trees. However, a ground witness said the airplane descended until it impacted a tree, while still in a left spiral. Exam of the engine revealed 3 broken connecting rods & a shattered #5 piston. The piston had failed in compression & showed polished edges & distress associated with hydraulic lock. Operating instructions required that spark plugs & drain plugs be removed from the #4, #5, & #6 cylinders before turning the propeller to prevent hydraulic lock (if parked more than 3 days). A witness said the owners started the radial engine every couple of weeks without removing anything from the engine. A factory trained engine technician said there was evidence '...the engine was started without the operator having first checked for the presence of oil in the lower cylinders as is described in the aircraft operating instructions.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.