Russian trainer has engine failure in traffic pattern. Off airport landing.

Attributes
ACN	316679
Time
Date	199509
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : moi
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Military Trainer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	316678
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On a 1 mi final approach to general dewitt spain airport with landing gear and flaps extended, the 360 horsepwr vedenyev M-14P radial engine in a 1989 YAK52 suddenly quit. The propeller continued to windmill but the engine would not restart. An off-field landing was executed on a nearby levee. There were no injuries or property damage, but the right wing of the aircraft was damaged. The plane had 14 gallons of uncontaminated fuel on board. We suspect the mixture was too rich and fouled the spark plugs. In the future, I will maintain higher power settings until the field is within gliding distance and make sure the automatic-mixture mechanism is working properly. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states the aircraft was a russian trainer similar to the T34. It has an automatic mixture control which was just not working properly the day of this incident. The initial pilot was the owner on his first flight. When the engine quit he said 'you've got it' and reporter took over to make the landing. The right wing hit a telephone pole, the only damage. The initial pilot was used to flying a baron and was making a very wide pattern, not allowing for reaching the field in an engine failure condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RUSSIAN TRAINER HAS ENG FAILURE IN TFC PATTERN. OFF ARPT LNDG.

Narrative: ON A 1 MI FINAL APCH TO GENERAL DEWITT SPAIN ARPT WITH LNDG GEAR AND FLAPS EXTENDED, THE 360 HORSEPWR VEDENYEV M-14P RADIAL ENG IN A 1989 YAK52 SUDDENLY QUIT. THE PROP CONTINUED TO WINDMILL BUT THE ENG WOULD NOT RESTART. AN OFF-FIELD LNDG WAS EXECUTED ON A NEARBY LEVEE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, BUT THE R WING OF THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. THE PLANE HAD 14 GALLONS OF UNCONTAMINATED FUEL ON BOARD. WE SUSPECT THE MIXTURE WAS TOO RICH AND FOULED THE SPARK PLUGS. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL MAINTAIN HIGHER PWR SETTINGS UNTIL THE FIELD IS WITHIN GLIDING DISTANCE AND MAKE SURE THE AUTO-MIXTURE MECHANISM IS WORKING PROPERLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THE ACFT WAS A RUSSIAN TRAINER SIMILAR TO THE T34. IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC MIXTURE CTL WHICH WAS JUST NOT WORKING PROPERLY THE DAY OF THIS INCIDENT. THE INITIAL PLT WAS THE OWNER ON HIS FIRST FLT. WHEN THE ENG QUIT HE SAID 'YOU'VE GOT IT' AND RPTR TOOK OVER TO MAKE THE LNDG. THE R WING HIT A TELEPHONE POLE, THE ONLY DAMAGE. THE INITIAL PLT WAS USED TO FLYING A BARON AND WAS MAKING A VERY WIDE PATTERN, NOT ALLOWING FOR REACHING THE FIELD IN AN ENG FAILURE CONDITION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.