What happened
On April 12, 2026, at approximately 1423 mountain standard time, a Republic RC-3 aircraft, N6518K, was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for a personal flight.
The pilot departed Hangar Haciendas Airport (AZ90) in Laveen, Arizona, with two passengers. While cruising at an altitude of approximately 2,500 feet mean sea level toward Camelback Mountain, the pilot noticed the propeller RPM began to overspeed. Efforts to reduce the RPM were unsuccessful, and the engine failed to respond to controls. Shortly after, smoke was seen exiting the left side of the engine cowling, followed by a total loss of engine power.
The pilot performed a gear-up forced landing on a road. The impact caused substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage keel hull. During the landing, the left wing struck a water backflow valve, resulting in damage to the left wing sponson and the leading edge of the left wing. All three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—were not injured.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the engine revealed that the right-side exhaust tail pipe had separated from the exhaust manifold. Investigators also identified thermal damage and fractures on several components, including an aluminum panel, the carburetor air intake ducting, the fuel delivery line to the carburetor, and the electrical wiring, specifically both magneto P-leads.