REPUBLIC RC-3 SEABEE # 1000

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AIRCRAFT DATA

(2) Lycoming IGSO-480 (Simuflight)

Republic Seabee airplane N6717K trade-in for one PA-22 Piper Tri-Pacer Super Custom airplane, for University of Illinois; Institute of Aviation, Illini Airport, Urbana, Illinois.

Dr. Darrell L. Davey; 6613 Santa Rosa Road, Camarillo, CA 93012-5672, USA.

E-mail: res0g5r3@verizon.net 

Frank Hublou and John Schottenheimer were thankful to walk away after Hublou’s 1946 Republic Seabee seaplane flipped over and sank into Lake Tahoe Thursday.

“I never thought something like this could happen,” Hublou said.

Both men were on hand about 7 p.m. Thursday as the plane was pulled out of the water by a Hummer and onto Ski Beach in Incline Village, about eight hours after their plane took on water right after landing on Lake Tahoe.

Hublou, 71, is a veteran pilot with more than 45 years of flying experience and multiple FAA certifications.

The Carson City resident flew missions for the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War and was out for a morning excursion with fellow Carson resident Schottenheimer, 62, when the two landed the plane on Lake Tahoe. They touched down about one mile off of Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline about 10:30 a.m.

“We had just been tooling around for about 20 or thirty minutes and I was sitting in the water when I noticed my left pontoon (right from a frontal-view of the plane) was sitting a little lower in the water than the other,” Hublou said. “And as I looked at the pontoon it kept going down and then it kinked. At that point it opened up like a can and started taking on water.”

Hublou and Schottenheimer decided they would drive the plane back to shore for repairs. That wasn’t the case, however.

“I thought that once the pontoon sunk in, the wing would float and we’d be able to get back to shore,” Hublou said. “But, the wing started taking on water, it’s not sealed or anything, and then I could see what was coming.”

What was coming was a complete rollover of Hublou’s plane — both he and Schottenheimer found themselves inside the now-upside down aircraft, which was taking on water.

“When it was apparent the plane would roll, I put in a mayday call to civil air patrol and called 9-1-1 on my cell phone to let them know we were out there,” Schottenheimer said. The call was recorded at 11 a.m., said local rescue officials.

He said he was thankful the pair rolled-over only a mile from shore — adding if they were any further out into the lake they may have waited much longer for rescue.

The two managed to use the seat cushions from the plane as flotation devices until tourists in a rented boat pulled them from the water.

Incline resident Carl Cooper watched the scene unfold from his own boat and drove out to the scene. Schottenheimer branded him a ‘saint’ for staying with the pair for the entire episode, as Cooper eventually used a winch attached to his Hummer truck to pull the plane from the water.

http://www.sierrasun.com/article/20080915/NEWS/809159997 

Airframe/Engine:
Total Time Airframe: 308 Hours Since Complete Rebuild.
Engine: Lycoming GSIO-480, 308 Hours SMOH.
Propeller: Hartzell HC-A3MV2O-3L Reversing Propeller 308 SOH.

Avionics
KMA-24 Audio Panel, KLX-135A GPS/Comm, KX-125 Nav/Comm, KT-76A Transponder, Traffic Scope Traffic Avoidance, Graphic Engine Monitor, Intercom.

Options
180 Degree Bow Door, Diode Array Anchor Light, Optima 12 Volt Battery, Bilge Pumps (5ea.), Fire Warning System, Floor Cargo Boxes, PuIselite, Sinking Alarm with wing speakers, Depth Finder, Whelen Strobe Lights, Tail Wheel Lock, Instrument Panel Mounted Elevator Trim, Gear Position / Overboost Voice Warning System, Water in Fuel Detection System, Baggage Compartment Extension, Wing Extension.

The airplane was rebuilt and highly modified in 2001 to its current configuration by Ken Thompson of KenAire. Some of the major modifications were the addition of wing tip extensions, a Lycoming IGSO-480 340 HP engine, new radios, new interior, new paint, and numerous modifications that make this one of the best airplane in existence today. The previous owner spent well over $185,000 on the restoration.

Exterior: Gray with Red Strips (9 out of 10).
Interior: Gray Leather with Cloth Inserts (9 out of 10).

Price: $177,000

Frank Hublou
Carson City, Nevada, USA
1-(775) 882-3221
E-mail: frankhbl@msn.com 

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