Cessna 337B accident near Laporte, Texas, July 23, 1987
On July 23, 1987 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 337B, registered N2315S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laporte, Texas (Laporte Munic. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 23, 1987 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Laporte, Texas · Laporte Munic. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337B · all 337Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2315S · no longer on the register · serial 3370615
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN SITTING OUTSIDE IN THE WX SINCE ITS LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION ON 12/1/84. AFTER PURCHASING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT (WHO IS AN AIRCRAFT AND POWERPLANT MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN) EXAMINED IT AND A FERRY PERMIT WAS ISSUED BY FAA FOR THE PROPOSED FERRY FLIGHT TO THE PILOT'S HOME BASE. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT THE MAIN FUEL LINE TO THE REAR ENGINE WAS PARTIALLY BLOCKED BY A FOREIGN MATERIAL. THIS BLOCKAGE ALLOWED ADQUATE FUEL FLOW FOR A SUSTAINED STATIC OPERATION AT 1000-1500 RPM AND A BRIEF BURST OF POWER AT FULL THROTTLE. HOWEVER, IT WAS INADEQUATE FOR A SUSTAINED HIGH POWER SETTING AND AS A RESULT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB THE REAR ENGINE POWER REDUCED TO A LEVEL OF 1200-1500 RPM. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND HEADED FOR THE NEAREST AVAILABLE LANDING SITE. HE LOST FLYING SPEED WHILE PULLING UP TO AVOID TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE SITE AND HE ACFT THEN MUSHED TO A TOUCHDOWN WITH A RESULTANT HARD LANDING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,802 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C4D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Hankamer TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.