# NTSB ANC84LA133: Republic RC-3, N87459, Skwentna, AK, August 13, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 12, 1984, 19:00 local (Aug 13, 1984, 03:00 UTC)
- Place: Skwentna, AK
- Coordinates: 61.930614, -151.730957 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9306&lon=-151.7310&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 4335
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC84LA133
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/4335/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC84LA133

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Fire, cruise - normal
  - engine assembly - undetermined (cause)
  - maintenance - improper, unqualified person (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - high vegetation (contributing factor)

## Analysis

DURING CRUISE, PLT WAS TROUBLESHOOTING RHYTHMIC POWER INTERRUPTION (MISSING) WHEN FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PLT HEADED FOR ARPT, GEAR DOWN, BUT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING OFF ARPT WHEN THE FIRE INTENSIFIED. LANDING GEAR SHEARED IN HEAVY BRUSH ON TOUCHDOWN. PLT STATED THE ACFT HAD CONSIDERABLE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE ENGINE 1.5 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT BUT THERE WERE NO LOG BOOK ENTRIES OF WORK PERFORMED. QUALIFICATIONS/CERTIFICATION OF MAINTENANCE PERSON CITED AS PERFORMING WORK ARE UNDETERMINED. ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY POST-LANDING FIRE, NEGATING PRECISE FINDING OF ORIGINAL FIRE SOURCE/CAUSE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N87459 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: REPUBLIC RC-3
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 9
- Airframe hours: 1445
- Engines: FRANKLIN 6A8-215-B9F 215 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: In-Flight
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Gordon James Krist
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 3, 1983, 15 hours before
- Departed: Z15, BIRCHWOOD, AK
- Destination: SKW, SKWENTNA, AK
- Airport: SKW, Skwentna, runway 27, 3,500 × 150 ft, gravel

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, expired; seat: left; flight hours: 466 total, 6 in this make and model, 360 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 200 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 45 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19840812073959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840812073959A), Aug 12, 1984: Stolam RC3, Skwentna, AK, Destroyed. Landing made due to intensifying in flight fire. Engine perrformance decayed, grinding, clanking sounds then quit.

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.

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