Republic RC-3 accident near Keego Harbor, Michigan, August 20, 1986
On August 20, 1986 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Republic RC-3, registered N113G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Keego Harbor, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- August 20, 1986 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Keego Harbor, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Republic RC-3 · all RC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N113G · registry record · serial L-1188-34
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS HE WAS PREPARING TO LAND ON A LAKE AND WAS AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET, HE NOTICED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE FULL FLAPS DOWN. HE THEN REACHED DOWN, AND BY ERROR, LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR INSTEAD OF THE FLAPS. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY FLIPPED OVER, SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND HULL.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,775 hours in all; 350 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,980 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-490-G2D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.