REPUBLIC RC-3 SEABEE # 867

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AIRCRAFT DATA

Letter from pilot Douglas Ireland to Mr. K. E. Saunders, District Inspector, Civil Aviaton:

Dear Sir,

This is a report of an engine failure which happened on the afternoon of September 2/47 while I was flying a Sea Bee CF-FJI. (Received Edmonton 5-1-48).

After a pre take off check in which the engine checked O.K., I took off with two passengers on board. Upon reaching an altitude of approximately seven hundred feet the engine become (sic) very rough, and a few seconds later quit.

I was able to make a forced landing on a small lake, causing no damage to aircraft or property. Upon inspection of the engine I found a hole in the top of crankcase caused by a broken con rod. The engine was removed and sent to Northwest Industries, Edmonton. This accident occurred approximately three miles east of Yellowknife, N.W.T.

Yours Sincerely
"D. Ireland"

PILOT'S REPORT - FORCED LANDING CF-FJI

On October 24th, 1947, I took off form McMurray in Seabee CF-FJI enroute to Edmonton at 08.15 hours. Prior to the take-off I made the customary cockpit check and all controls, instruments and engine functioned normally. After take-off I circulated the airport, climbing to approximately 2500 feet and set the course for Algar Lake, following the Athabasca River. About thirty minutes later the power of the engine began to drop off, despite the fact that the engine controls cruising settings had not been altered. At this point I was about five miles from Algar Lake and had already left the river. The power kept dropping off with an increase in drop of oil pressure. It was apparent that an immediate landing had to be made and the aircraft was landed in a swamp approximately three miles east of Algar Lake, wheels up. After the landing, during which damage was caused to the wing of the aircraft, it was discovered that an oil leak had occurred and the engine had no oil. As oil in the aircraft was filled at Smith and was checked at McMurray for the proper amount of oil, obviously a serious leak had developed.

During my flying experience with the Seabee I found that it had a habit of throwing and losing oil from two sources. One from the propeller reverse oil chamber, which is located just forward of the propeller and is sealed with a rubber ring that becomes hard and loses its expanding effect after a few hours of operation. The other source is from the oil cooling radiator connections to the crank case, these two connections are also sealed with a rubber ring and the metal surfaces on both sides of the radiator that press down on the rubber seals are too light and warp between the hold-down studs, when same is being tightened down, leaving insufficient pressure around the seals, which seems to allow them to blow out after a few hours of operation.

Signed
Henry Koenen.

May 1948 examination of engine S/N: 23860 (by Western Airmotive Ltd.) revealed engine failure was caused by loss of oil due to the failure of the propeller seal part #AN6227-67-"O"-ring.

Minor damage was caused to the starboard wing consisting of a large dent on the leading edge approximately 4½' inboard of the tip.

At this date it is believed that the aircraft was still in the bush, after October 1947 accident. Kashower planned to have the aircraft salvaged and overhauled?

Dear Sirs,

This letter is your authority to have Seabee CF-FJI ferried from forced landing point near Fort McMurray to Edmonton, after installation of serviceable engine and aircraft is signed fit for flight by an A & C Engineer. This flight is to be made with pilot only, VFR.

This authority is to be not valid after April 10, 1948.

Examination of engine S/N: 23660:
- Total time since manufacture: 551 hrs 55 mins
- Total time since major overhaul: 394 hrs 55 mins
- Last overhaul carried out by Western Aeromotive Ltd., on May 21st, 1949.

In my opinion one of two things could have caused the failure. 1st. The connecting rod bolt failed in the threaded portion of the bolt. 2nd. The exhaust valve of # 6 cylinder broke off under the valve head and eventually broke up the piston and then jammed and broke off the nut end of the connection rod bolt.
(H. Thomas, Chief Engineer, March 4th, 1950).

Report to District Inspector of Air Regulations; 420 Federal Building, Vancouver, B.C.:

Dear Sir;

I, Raymond Joseph Oliver pilot of Seabee R3 (sic) registration letters CF-FJI do hereby make formal report of forced landing of the above mentioned aircraft which occurred on September 4th 1950 at approximately 1830 DST, three miles north of "Ida Lake", in the Alert Bay district.

At 1600 DST, I departed from Alert Bay after taking on fuel, destination, Bonanza Lake; to transport a fishing party which I had previously flown in on September 1st and 2nd.

After completing two trips successfully from Bonanza Lake to Beaver Cove, a distance of approximately sixteen miles, I then returned to Bonanza Lat to complete my final chartered trip of transporting Messrs. A. Shotton & L. S. Evans to Beaver Cove.

The takeoff from Bonanza Lake was normal with no indication of mechanical trouble. Climbing to an altitude of 1800 feet msl. I passed over Ida Lake and was still climbing at 80 mph in order to have sufficient altitude to clear the local terrain; at this moment my manifold pressure commenced to drop with subsequent rpm drop. I naturally believed it was carburetor icing and immediately applied full carburetor heat which remedied the situation momentarily, but a few seconds later the engine ceased to function, at this time my aircraft was over a newly logged off area with trucks roads in evidence.

I proceeded in choosing a suitable site to execute a forced landing; cutting off all switches and dropping full flaps I landed on the logging road (with wheels retracted). After the aircraft came to rest I enquired of my passengers the extent of their injuries and after individual personal physical inspection found that  Mr. A. Shotton suffered a bruise on the right elbow and Mr. L. Evans suffered a bruise on right knee and as to I the undersigned no injuries.

We proceeded to the logging camp by using a road grader for transportation and upon reaching Beaver Cove I immediately origination two telegrams, on of which your office holds and the other to my employer.

Your truly,
(Signed) R. J. Oliver

Oliver's Commercial License No. 5192 was suspended for thirty days from the date of forwarding.

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