FTW99LA047

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 337 · Lufkin, TX · December 14, 1998

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 14, 1998, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
Place
Lufkin, TX
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N536RKCessna 337
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 6, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19981214033429A
Case key
45455

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

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Probable cause

The inadvertent stall due to the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightGo-around (vfr)
Recovery from bounced landing - improperPilot in commandCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with objectGo-around (vfr)
Object - building(nonresidential)

Analysis

The multi-engine airplane was destroyed during a post impact fire following impact with the ground while attempting a go-around maneuver after a bounced landing. On final approach to land, the pilot noted that he flared the aircraft 'late', and the aircraft contacted the runway in a 'level attitude' which resulted in a 'hard landing and bounce'. The aircraft 'bounced' a second time, and the pilot noted that the bounce was 'really high', with the aircraft drifting to the left. After the airplane bounced a third time, the pilot called for a 'go-around', and 'fire-walled everything'. The pilot then noted that when he 'pushed the entire power quadrant forward', the airplane immediately entered a severe left turn with full left yoke deflection, which [he] could not reverse'. At this point, the airplane was in a steep left turn, heading 90 degrees left of the runway heading, towards hangars. The pilot then 'pulled the nose up to try [to] get over the hangars, and the airplane probably stalled'. The airplane then impacted the ground left wing down and slid between two hangars. A fire erupted as both occupants exited the aircraft. The airplane was consumed by the post impact fire.

Factual narrative

On December 14, 1998, approximately 1400 central standard time, a Cessna 337 multi-engine airplane, N536RK, was destroyed during a post impact fire following impact with the ground while attempting a go-around maneuver on runway 33 at the Angelina County Airport, Lufkin, Texas. Both occupants, the pilot-in-command [private pilot certificate] and a pilot rated passenger [private pilot certificate], received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot-in-command. The flight originated from Conroe, Texas, about 1330.

The pilot-in-command provided the NTSB investigator-in-charge with a written statement which outlined the flight events prior to and during the accident.

He stated that earlier in the day [about 1115], he flew the airplane to Conroe, Texas, to have maintenance performed. After minor airframe maintenance was completed, he picked up his pilot rated passenger, and flew an uneventful VFR flight back to Lufkin. Upon entering the local landing pattern for runway 33, the pilot received airport advisory information stating that the winds were from 010 degrees at 6 knots. On final approach to land, he noted that he flared the aircraft "late", and the aircraft contacted the runway in a "level attitude" which resulted in a "hard landing and bounce". The aircraft "bounced" a second time, and the pilot noted that the bounce was "really high", with the aircraft drifting to the left. After the airplane bounced a third time, the pilot called for a "go-around", and "fire-walled everything". The pilot then noted that when he "pushed the entire power quadrant forward", the airplane immediately entered a severe left turn with full left yoke deflection, which [he] could not reverse".

At this point, the airplane was in a steep left turn, heading 90 degrees left of the runway heading, towards hangars. The pilot then "pulled the nose up to try [to] get over the hangars, and the airplane probably stalled". The airplane then impacted the ground left wing down and slid between two hangars. A fire erupted as both occupants exited the aircraft.

The airplane was consumed by the post impact fire.

Aircraft

Registration
N536RK
Reported as
Cessna 337
Category
Airplane
Airframe hours
900
Engine
Continental IO-360, 210 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
E. Ross Kyger III
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 1, 1998
Departed
CXO · Conroe, TX
Destination
LFK
Airport
LFK · Angelina County, runway 33, 4,309 × 0 ft, asphalt

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
57
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
800 total · 300 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 6 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
63 °F, dew point 36 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
LFK, 1 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

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