Pezetel M-18 DROMADER accident near Plymouth, Washington, July 9, 1994
On July 9, 1994 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Pezetel M-18 DROMADER, registered N4685R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plymouth, Washington. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE RUDDER BEING JAMMED IN ALMOST THE FULL LEFT POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1994 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pezetel M-18 DROMADER M-18 DROM
- Registration
- N4685R · no longer on the register · serial 1Z012-09
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S22 Hermiston OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4685R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.