Republic RC-3 accident near Saginaw, Michigan, July 12, 1982
On July 12, 1982 at about 7:29 pm local time, a Republic RC-3, registered N6444K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saginaw, Michigan (Harry Browne airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1982 · about 7:29 pm local time
- Place
- Saginaw, Michigan · Harry Browne
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Republic RC-3 · all RC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N6444K · no longer on the register · serial 694
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF WITH 35 GAL OF FUEL ABOARD. AFTER ABOUT 128 NAUTICAL MILES, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WHILE LANDING IN A MUDDY CORN FIELD WITH THE GEAR RETRACTED, THE AIRCRAFT SLID A SHORT DISTANCE THEN NOSED OVER. ONE OF THE FIRST PERSONS TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT RECALL SMELLING FUEL. THE NEXT MORNING (AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED ALL NIGHT), HE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND NOTED THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS DANGLING BY ITS CHAIN, BUT HE DID NOT RECALL THE CAP DANGLING ON THE NIGHT BEFORE. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN BROKEN INTO OVER NIGHT AND SEVERAL ARTICLES HAD BEEN REMOVED. AN INSPECTION AND OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURES.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,018 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 1,893 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,063 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,980 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin B9F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Harbor Springs MI at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Troy MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°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.
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.