Cessna P337 accident near Wichita, Kansas, September 6, 1986
On September 6, 1986 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna P337, registered N90BK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wichita, Kansas (Wichita Mid-Continent airport). It was an instructional 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
- September 6, 1986 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wichita, Kansas · Wichita Mid-Continent · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P337 · all P337s on the register
- Registration
- N90BK · registry record · serial P3370306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A TOUCH-&-GO LANDING, THE FLT CREW NOTED A PROBLEM WITH THE LANDING GEAR. A CHECK OF THE HYDRAULIC SYS REVEALED A LACK OF FLUID IN THE RESERVOIR; THE PLTS WERE UNABLE TO EITHER RETRACT OR EXTEND THE GEAR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY LANDED THE ACFT WITH THE NOSE & RGT MAIN GEAR EXTENDED & THE LEFT MAIN GEAR IN A TRAIL POSITION. THE LEFT WING TIP, LEFT MAIN GEAR DOOR & LEFT STABILIZER WERE DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. AN EXAM OF THE HYDRAULIC SYS REVEALED THAT A HOSE TO THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DOOR ACTUATOR WAS LEAKING & HAD PERMITTED DEPLETION OF THE HYDRAULIC FLUID. THE HOSE WAS DETERIORATED FROM AGE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,695 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 192 in the last 90 days; 3,475 as pilot in command; 1,700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1986; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Yingling Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: TOP Topeka KS at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,301 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from ICT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.