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.