No fatalities

2 Dec 2020: CESSNA 551 (N48DK) — Aviation Star S — Lufkin, TX

Lufkin, TX, United States

On 2 Dec 2020, a CESSNA 551 (registration N48DK) operated by Aviation Star S was involved in an aviation accident near Lufkin, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s decision to land on a runway that did not provide enough length to stop the airplane given the wet surface conditions, resulting in a runway excursion. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A Cessna 551, N48DK, overran runway 16 after landing on a wet surface at Angelina County Airport, Texas; no injuries occurred but the aircraft sustained substantial damage.

Accident Summary

On December 2, 2020, about 0842 central standard time, a Cessna 551 (registration N48DK) was substantially damaged during a runway excursion at Angelina County Airport (LFK) near Lufkin, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight was conducted as a Part 91 business operation.

Landing and Runway Excursion

The pilot reported an uneventful IFR flight from Austin, Texas, and entered the RNAV 16 approach to runway 16. After breaking out of clouds, he canceled his flight plan and landed on runway 16 in rainy conditions. The airplane touched down approximately 1,000 feet down the 4,311-foot runway. Initial braking was normal, with the anti-skid system cycling twice before it stopped functioning. The pilot turned off the anti-skid and applied emergency braking, but the airplane did not slow. It departed the end of the runway, traveled through wet grass, and struck a fence and a small ditch. The occupants evacuated after the aircraft came to a stop.

Post-Accident Examination

On-site inspection revealed that the nose and main landing gear had collapsed, and both wings sustained structural damage. A video of the event showed significant water on runway 16. Skid marks corresponding to the tire tread extended approximately 2,600 feet, with modulations in color and rubber displacement consistent with anti-skid system operation. Examination of the wheel brakes, tires, and anti-skid system found no mechanical anomalies. Tire tread depth ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 inches, and all tires were ruptured during the excursion. Brake accumulator pressures were normal.

Estimated Stopping Distance

Using Cessna 551 performance tables, the calculated estimated stopping distance on the wet runway was about 4,127 feet. Given the touchdown point 1,000 feet from the threshold, the remaining runway length of 3,311 feet was insufficient to stop. The pilot reported being aware of the weather conditions and reviewed lessons learned, including considerations of declining the flight due to weather and available runway length.

Contributing factors

PilotContributed to outcome