Cessna 337 accident near Lufkin, Texas, December 14, 1998
On December 14, 1998 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 337, registered N536RK, was destroyed in an accident near Lufkin, Texas (Angelina County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent stall due to the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 1998 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lufkin, Texas · Angelina County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337 · all 337s on the register
- Registration
- N536RK · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXO Conroe TX at 6:30 pm
- Destination: LFK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,309 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from LFK, 1 miles away
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.