Accident Summary
On July 22, 2016, about 0930 eastern daylight time, a Republic RC-3 airplane, registration N87570, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after takeoff from Gilbert Airport (GIF) in Winter Haven, Florida. The private pilot was seriously injured, and the commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to the commercial pilot and operated by the private pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight. The commercial pilot died about three weeks after the accident, on August 11, 2016.
Pilot Information
The private pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on June 2, 2015, with no limitations. The commercial pilot did not have a current medical certificate; his most recent application on November 5, 1983, was denied by the FAA due to a history of coronary artery disease and angina.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, high-wing amphibious airplane, serial number 137, was manufactured in 1946. It was powered by a 285-horsepower Lycoming GO-480 engine driving a three-blade Hartzell propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on January 11, 2016, at which time the engine had accumulated 1,505.4 total service hours.
Maintenance History
According to maintenance records, an electric fuel pump was found leaking excessively on April 20, 2011. The pump was removed, overhauled, and reinstalled on May 2, 2011, by the commercial pilot. Between that maintenance and January 11, 2016, the airplane underwent six annual inspections and accumulated 4.0 flight hours, with no discrepancies noted.
Wreckage Examination
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage, which came to rest between a garage and a fence. The right elevator was embedded in the garage roof, the right wing was bent behind the fuselage, and the left wing had impact damage on the leading edge.
Engine Testing and Findings
After recovery, the airframe and engine were examined. A fuel line with a pressure bulb, similar to a marine fuel line, was installed between the electric fuel pumps and the engine-driven pump. According to the FAA, this type of fuel line was not approved for installation. Additionally, three electric pumps were installed, although the system was designed for two. The third pump was wired to the low output side of the fuel pump switch.
The engine was test-run with the airframe secured to a forklift. Fuel samples showed no contamination. After installing a new battery, the engine started but lost power when the electric fuel pumps were turned off. The engine-driven fuel pump was found airworthy and reinstalled. Further examination revealed that the unapproved fuel line was not tightly secured at the fuel shut-off lever. With the electric pumps on, fuel was delivered under pressure, but when they were shut off, the engine-driven pump suctioned air through the loose connection, causing fuel starvation and power loss. After tightening the connection, the engine ran normally at various power settings.