Downer REPUBLIC RC-3 N6426K

Summary

On 16 July 1982 at about 23:25 local time, a Downer REPUBLIC RC-3 registered N6426K, operated by TIM Egan, was involved in an accident near Southwick, Massachusetts, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

16 July 1982 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Southwick, Massachusetts, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Downer REPUBLIC RC-3

Registration

N6426K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

TIM Egan

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Simsbury → Windsor Locks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC82DA156

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO OPERATE AT REDUCED POWER. HE ELECTED TO LAND THE AMPHIBIOUS PLANE IN A FIELD AND EXTENDED THE GEAR. HOWEVER THE PILOT SAW THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLEAR TREES, SO HE DECIDED TO LAND ON A NEARBY LAKE. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO RETRACT THE GEAR; THEREFORE, DURING THE LANDING, THE PLANE FLIPPED OVER. IT CONTINUED TO FLOAT, AND LATER, IT WAS TURNED TO AN UPRIGHT POSITION AND TOWED OUT OF THE LAKE ON ITS GEAR. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD DRAINED THE SUMPTS BEFORE THE FLIGHT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE DRAINED ABOUT 5 OUNCES OF FLUID FROM THE UPPER DRAIN AND ABOUT HALF OF IT WAS WATER. HOWEVER, THE WATER WAS FOUND AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOATED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE LAKE OVER NIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.