Cessna 337 accident near Kankakee, Illinois, November 21, 1987
On November 21, 1987 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 337, registered N6255F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kankakee, Illinois (Greater Kanakee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1987 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kankakee, Illinois · Greater Kanakee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337 · all 337s on the register
- Registration
- N6255F · registry record · serial 337-0255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 22 AT AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT WHEN HE HEARD ANOTHER PILOT TRANSMIT HE WAS ABOUT TO DEPART FROM THE SAME RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE HE WAS TURNING ON TO FINAL APPROACH, HE OBSERVED AN AIRCRAFT TAXIING TO RUNWAY 22. HE THEN MADE A RADIO CALL TO INFORM THE DEPARTING AIRCRAFT OF HIS INTENTIONS. THE PILOT STATED HE KEPT HIS AIRSPEED UP ON FINAL APPROACH THINKING HE MAY NEED TO GO-AROUND. THE DEPARTING AIRCRAFT HELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. AS A RESULT OF THE MODIFIED APPROACH, UPON TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED THEN STALLED ONTO THE RUNWAY. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 352 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C18 Frankfort IL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: IKK Kanakee IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from MDW, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI88LA030.