Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS accident near Houston, Texas, May 5, 2012
On May 5, 2012 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS, registered N919LA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (West Houston airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2012 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS · all SPORTSTAR PLUSs on the register
- Registration
- N919LA · registry record · serial 20070919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot said that the landing flare was normal until the airplane suddenly touched down sooner than he expected. The airplane then bounced several times, landing nose first. The nose gear buckled, and the airplane slid about 75 feet to the right edge of the runway. The pilot reported that the nose gear and the firewall were both damaged. He also reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane or engine.
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
What happened, in order
- 551092 during descent - normal
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 55 hours in all; 43 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: sport pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,640 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 28, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Higgins Aviation Group LLC
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: LBX Angleton TX at 4:45 pm
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,900 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scattered at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 0°C, dew point 0°C
- Observation at 5:00 pm from IWS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN12CA281.