Republic RC-3 accident near Blakely Island, Washington, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Republic RC-3, registered N22BH, was destroyed in an accident near Blakely Island, Washington (Blakely Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- August 7, 1983 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Blakely Island, Washington · Blakely Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Republic RC-3 · all RC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N22BH · no longer on the register · serial 889
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE WAS ON A SHORT FINAL APPROACH TO RWY 01, HE ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL. A RAPID SINK RATE WAS ENCOUNTERED & HE WAS UNABLE TO FULLY RECOVER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE. THE GEAR WAS SHEARED & THE FUSELAGE WAS SPLIT BY IMPACT, RUPTURING THE FUEL TANK. A FIRE ENSUED & THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WIND SHEAR WAS ENCOUNTERED NEAR A CLIFF AT THE APPROACH END OF RWY 1. HE REPORTED THAT THE WIND SOCK AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY WAS LIMP, WHILE THE WIND SOCK FOR RWY 19 INDICATED A WIND FROM THE NORTH AT 15 TO 20 KTS. REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS A STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND AT THE WATER LEVEL ABOUT 1/4 MI FROM THE ARPT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 919 hours in all; 172 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 767 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Lake Samamish WA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: S08 Blakely Island WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from BLI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.