Republic RC-3 accident near Carr Inlet, Washington, March 23, 2001
On March 23, 2001 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Republic RC-3, registered N6295K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carr Inlet, Washington (Tacoma Narrows 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
Fatigue fracture of the propeller attaching bolts resulting in the total separation of the propeller assembly from the crankshaft flange.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2001 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Carr Inlet, Washington · Tacoma Narrows · map
- 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
- N6295K · registry record · serial 508
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that the airplane was in a cruise flight configuration at 1,500 feet mean sea level (msl) when he observed an engine over speed condition. The pilot reduced engine RPM and executed a forced water landing. Post-accident inspection of the airplane disclosed that the airplane's propeller had separated from the crankshaft flange. The remnants of three propeller bolts were recovered and shipped to the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C. for metallurgical examination. The examination disclosed that the propeller bolts fractured in a mode consistent with high vibratory tensile stress before the bolts failed due to insufficient torque on the bolts.
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; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 680 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 20, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 2000; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mason Lake WA at 7:10 pm
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 338° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from TIW, 4 miles away
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.