# Accident 19990823013319A: Stolam RC3, Chimacum, WA, August 23, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 23, 1999, 13:05 local time
- Place: Chimacum, WA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 47.9697° N, 122.7794° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9697&lon=-122.7794&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6070K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6070K-2004-05-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Republic RC-3 (registry code 3080202, https://openairdocs.org/model/republic-rc-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: STOLAM RC3
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6A8215B8F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 1,104 total, 59 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA99FA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99FA146) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990823013319A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES IN DISCOVERY BAY, THE 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, THE ACFT HAS UNKNOWN DAMAGE. (.4)THE 1,100 HOUR PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), WHO HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AMPHIBIOUS RC-3, HAD NO AMPHIBIOUS/FLOATPLANE EXPERIENCE.  ACCOMPANIED BY THE 4,664 HOUR FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SERVING AS A SAFETY PILOT, THE TWO PILOTS DEPARTED PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON, FOR CORVALLIS, OREGON, WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING PRACTICE LANDINGS EN ROUTE.  WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN A SMOOTH, DESCENDING, RIGHT TURN LINING UP TO THE NORTH OVER THE SOUTH END OF DISCOVERY BAY AND HEADED TOWARDS 50 FOOT POWER LINES WHICH CROSSED THE BAY ON AN EAST/WEST LINE.  JUST SHORT OF THE POWER LINES, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO EXECUTE A SHARP 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN, DESCEND OUT OF CONTROL TO THE WATER, BOUNCE INTO THE AIR AND THEN RE-ENTER THE WATER IN A STEEP, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.  POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT MALFUNCTION. FORWARD FUSELAGE CRUSH ANGLES CONFIRMED A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE, CHARACTERISTIC OF A STALL CONDITION UPON WATER IMPACT.  A PILOT WHO LANDED A FLOATPLANE NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE IMM                           EDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH REPORTED GUSTY WINDY CONDITIONS. (-23)AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED LOW OVER DISCOVERY BAY FOR PURPOSES OF WATER LANDING PRACTICE FOR THE NEW OWNER.  PILOTS DID NOT SEE POWERLINES UNTIL ALMOST UPON THEM.  MADE ABRUPT TURN AWAY FROM POWERLINES AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.  WITNESSES STATED AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN DESCENDING IN LEFT WING LOW ALTITUDE.  THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE WATER IN A LEFT WING LOW ALTITUDE, BOUNCED, THEN IMPACTED THE WATER A SECOND TIME IN A STEEP, NOSE DOWN ALTITUDE COMING TO REST INVERTED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA99FA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA99FA146), Aug 23, 1999: Republic RC-3 (N6070K), Chimacum, WA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The inadequate visual lookout by both the pilot-in-command and second pilot, and the pilot-in-command's failure to maintain sufficient flying speed to prevent a stall condition. Contributing factors…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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