CEN21LA071

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 551 · Lufkin, TX · December 2, 2020

Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal report
Date
December 2, 2020, 08:42 local (14:42 UTC)
Place
Lufkin, TX · Cow Pasture Adjacent to LFK
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N48DKCessna 551
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20201202021719A
Case key
102361

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to land on a runway that did not provide enough length to stop the airplane given the wet surface conditions, resulting in a runway excursion.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: wet surfaceEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeCessna 551: 1 caseAll aircraft: 141 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

After a 30-minute uneventful instrument flight rules (IFR) flight, the business jet landed in the rain on the 4,311ft-long runway. The pilot reported, and runway skid marks corroborated, that the airplane touched down about 1,000 ft from the approach end of the runway. The pilot reported braking action was initially normal and the anti-skid system cycled twice before it stopped working and he was unable to slow the airplane using the emergency brakes. The airplane continued off the departure end of the runway where it traveled through wet grass and a fence before coming to rest with the landing gear collapsed. A video of the airplane during the landing roll indicated there was a significant amount of water on the runway. No mechanical anomalies were found with the brake/antiskid systems during the postaccident examination of the airplane. Marks on the runway indicated functionality of the antiskid system. Stopping performance calculations estimated the distance required to stop the airplane on the runway was about 4,127 ft. The runway length remaining after the airplane touched down was about 3,311 ft. The pilot was aware of the runway length and weather conditions prior to departure and reported that he should have not accepted the trip.

Factual narrative

On December 2, 2020, about 0842 central standard time, a Cessna 551, N48DK, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lufkin, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. The pilot stated that after an uneventful IFR flight from Austin, Texas, he entered the RNAV 16 approach to runway 16 at the Angelina County Airport (LFK), Lufkin, Texas. His intention was a full stop landing. After breaking out of the clouds during the approach, he cancelled his flight plan and landed on runway 16. It was raining at the time of the landing. The pilot reported the airplane touched down about 1,000 ft down the runway. He reported that braking was initially normal with the anti-skid system cycling twice before it seemed to stop working. He continued to report that turning off the anti-skid and applying emergency braking did not slow the airplane. The airplane exited the departure end of the runway where it traveled through the wet grass and contacted a fence and a small ditch. The pilot and passengers evacuated the airplane after it came to a stop. On scene inspection of the accident site revealed that the nose and main landing gear collapsed after departing the runway, and both wings sustained structural damage. A video of the accident showed that runway 16 had a significant amount of water on it at the time the airplane landed. The video shows the airplane’s landing roll and the excursion. Skid marks observed at the departure end of runway 16 were traced back to the approach end of the runway. It was estimated that the airplane touched down about 1,000 ft beyond the approach end of runway 16 as reported by the pilot. The marks, which corresponded with the tread on the airplane’s tires, lasted about 2,600 ft. The skid marks exhibited modulations in color and rubber displacement consistent with antiskid system functionality. Examination of the wheel brakes on both main landing gear did not reveal any mechanical anomalies. Examination of the tires did not reveal any abnormal flat spots. The tread depth on the tires varied between 2 to 3 tenths of a inch. Tire pressures could not be obtained since all of the tires were ruptured during the excursion sequence. No mechanical anomalies were found with the antiskid system. The cannon plug connectors containing the antiskid transducer wires were examined and the pins and connectors were clean and free of corrosion. Pneumatic pressures on the brake accumulators were normal. To determine the estimated landing distance, the Cessna 551 Airplane Flight Manual performance tables were used. The length of runway 16 was 4,311 ft. Video and tire mark evidence showed that the airplane touched down about 1,000 ft down the runway, leaving about 3,311 ft to stop. The calculated estimated stopping distance for the airplane at the time of the accident was about 4,127 ft, due to the wet runway conditions. Thepilot reported on National Transportation Safety Board Form 6120 that he was aware of the weather conditions. He reviewed lessons learned from this accident, which included turning down the flight because of the weather and runway length available to stop the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N48DK
Reported as
Cessna 551
Category
Airplane
Serial number
551-0095
Built
1978
Airframe hours
9,395
Engines
P&W JT15D-4, 2,500 lbs thrust, turbo fanP&W JT15D-4, 2,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Operator
Aviation Star S
Registered owner
Aviation Star S
Airworthiness certificate
None
Last inspection
100 hour · July 2, 2020
Departed
AUS · Austin, TX
Destination
Same as departure
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
LFK · Angelina County Airport, runway 16, 4,311 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
75
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
February 1, 2020
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
17,772 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 28 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
100° at 6 knots
Visibility
6 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
900 ft broken
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 45 °F
Altimeter
30.15 inHg
Observed at
KLFK
METAR
KLFK 021453Z AUTO 10006KT 6SM -RA BR BKN065 OVC080 09/07 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP208 P0009 60009 T00890067 53013

Docket · 6

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 7, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 16.8 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.