# Accident 20030616013249A: Downer RC3, Yelm, WA, June 16, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 16, 2003, 18:30 local time
- Place: Yelm, WA
- Airport: Western Airpark Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.8691° N, 122.5710° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.8691&lon=-122.5710&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6723K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6723K-2015-05-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Downer RC-3 (registry code 3080206, https://openairdocs.org/model/downer-rc-3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6A8 series (registry code 27030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6a8-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOWNER RC3
- Reported engine: LYC GO435C2B2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA03FA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03FA106) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030616013249A

## Narrative

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

(-23) DURING TAKE OFF, WITNESSES STATED ENGINE NEVER SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS PRODUCING FULL POWER. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TAKE OFF ROLL TO END OF THE RUNWAY, BECAME AIRBORNE AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY, STRIKING TREES, AND CRASHING INVERTED BY A CANAL. AS OF THIS DATE, THE AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN RECOVERED DUE TO OWNER INCAPACITATION. CURRENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR A COMPLETE INSPECTION OF CONDITION, DUE TO DANGEROUS PLACEMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT ON A HILL BY A CANAL. RECOVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 21, 2003. DETAILS OF THE AIRCRAFT INSPECTION WILL BE PROVIDED AT A LATER DATE.                                                                  (-23 AMENDMENT) DURING TAKE OFF, WITNESSES STATED ENGINE NEVER SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS PRODUCING FULL POWER. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TAKE OFF ROLL TO END OF RUNWAY, AND CRASHED INVERTED BY A CANAL. SURVIVING OWNER OF AIRCRAFT STATED AIRCRAFT NEVER BECAME AIRBORNE. ON JULY 23, 2003, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND TRANSPORTED TO A MAINTENANCE FACILITY ON YELM AIRPORT. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE EXAMINED FOR CONDITION. NO ABNORMAL CONDITIONS WERE NOTED, EXCEPT FOR CRASH DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER. THE PROPELLER, ENGINE MAGNETOS, AND PROPELLER GOVERNOR WERE SENT TO REPAIR FACILITIES FOR EXAMINATION BY THE NTSB. CONDITION OF THE COMPONENTS NOTED DURING INSPECTION FOUND NO CAUSE FOR ABNORMAL OPERATION. ON NOVEMBER 6, 2003, THE NTSB AND THE FAA INTERVIEWED THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE INTERVIEW, THE OWNER STATED MR. MCHUGH WAS THE PIC FOR THE FINAL FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE OWNER   STATED THAT DURING THE TAKE OFF ROLL, HE TRIED TO ALERT THE PIC IT SEEMED THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT GOING FAST ENOUGH FOR PROPER TAKE-OFF. AFTER THE INTERVIEW ON NOVEMBER 7, 2003, A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE WAS COMPLETED AT YELM AIRPORT. NO ABNORMAL CONDITIONS WERE NOTED. PROPER EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FUEL SYSTEM, AND DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT BE COMPLETED DUE TO THE EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AIRCRAFT REMAINED AT ACCIDENT SITE. NTSB TO DETERMINE PROBABLE CAUSE.

## 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 SEA03FA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03FA106), Jun 17, 2003: Downer RC-3 (N6723K), Yelm, WA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to abort the takeoff roll. Factors contributing to the accident included the failure of the aircraft to accelerate for undetermined reasons and the trees.

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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