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CF-HPK
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AIRCRAFT DATA |
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| Manufacturer: | Republic Aviation Corporation; Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, USA. | |
| Model: | RC-3 Seabee | |
| Type Certificate No: | A-769 | |
| Serial Number: | 576 | |
| Manufacturing Date: | 1947-03-?? | |
| Engine: | Franklin 6A8-215-B9F (215 HP at 2500 RPM) | |
| Remarks: | Mode S Codes: 52047757 / A84FEF | |
| Reg. No. | Date | Remarks |
| NC6347K N6347K |
1947-03-?? | Manufacturing Date. |
| 1947-03-?? | Test flight. | |
| 1947-03-28 | Officially delivered from Republic Aviation Corporation to O'Connor Aircraft Co.; Albany, New York, USA. | |
| 1953-07-22 | Breyette & Broderick Aircraft Sales; 10 Peru Street, Plattsburg, New York 12901. | |
| 1954-09-23 | Cancelled from US Register. | |
| CF-HPK | 1954-??-?? | Registered on Canadian Civil Aircraft Register. |
| 1957-11-21 | Crashed
Lac Simon, Quebec.
On November 21st 1957, the Republic RC-3 Seabee piloted by Gaetan Deshaies made three trips between Lac du Diable (Devil's Lake) and Schryer Lake to bring a party back from a hunting expedition. The first trip returned cargo and game. The second trip brought four of the members back, and necessitated a precautionary landing on Lac Simon to await clear weather. Conditions that day were windy and snow squalls reduced visibility to zero at times. The final trip included the last three members of the hunting party: Tony Chivazza, Philippe Ouimet, Louis Hamel and their hunting dog. The plane and its occupants were lost on a crash landing in Lac Simon. Evidence confirming the loss in Lac Simon included the discovery of the dog on the shore of the lake. An autopsy performed on the dog revealed the cause of death to be coronary hemorrhaging, a sign the animal had suffered a deadly impact. A child reported seeing a plane performing pirouettes in the sky that day, and local farmers reported hearing a strange sound similar to a muffled impact. A substantial search and rescue operation was conducted to locate the aircraft which focused on Lac Simon. Even with the use of electronic search equipment, grappling hooks and SCUBA divers, the plane and its occupants could not be found. Over the past fifty years the mysterious disappearance of the Seabee aircraft turned to legend in the Lac Simon area. |
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| 2007-10-02 | Wreck found in Lac Simon by diver's team Guy Morin, Chris Koberstein and Dan Scoville. | |
| 2008-05-14 | Wreck recovered. | |
| Sources: |
RAC Seabee Delivery List. FAA Registry. Guy Morin. |
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Illustration by Dan Scoville
