Cessna 337A accident near Oxford, Arkansas, July 4, 1983
On July 4, 1983 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 337A, registered N6302F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxford, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1983 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337A · all 337As on the register
- Registration
- N6302F · registry record · serial 337-0302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO STARTING ON A ROUND TRIP FROM MANHATTAN, KS, THE OWNER INFORMED THE PLT THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR FOR THE REAR ENG WAS INOP & PRECLUDED SELECTION OF THE AUX FUEL TANK. FOR THAT REASON, THE PLT DID NOT USE EITHER AUX FUEL TANK. AFTER ABOUT 2.8 HRS ON THE RETURN FLT, THE REAR ENG'S POWER BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE REAR BOOST PUMP WAS INOP & THE PLT SUSPECTED A VAPOR LOCK. APRX 5 TO 10 MIN LATER, THE REAR ENG LOST ALL POWER. THE PLT STARTED DIVERTING TO SALEM, AR. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE FRONT ENG ALSO QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON ROCKY TERRAIN & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. BOTH MAIN TANKS WERE FOUND INTACT & EMPTY. LESS THAN 1 GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT AUX TANK & ABOUT 6 GAL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT AUX TANK.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 456 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 349 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1983; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL at 10:45 am
- Destination: MHK Manhattan KS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.