Cessna 182S accident near Houston, Texas, May 12, 2012
On May 12, 2012 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182S, registered N703MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Houston, Texas (Houston Southwest 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s interference with the flight instructor’s attempted remedial actions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2012 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston Southwest Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182S · all 182Ss on the register
- Registration
- N703MM · registry record · serial 18280760
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was landing the airplane in a right crosswind when the airplane started to veer to the right. The flight instructor tried to take control of the airplane and correct for the veer. However, the student pilot did not relinquish the controls, and the airplane continued off the right side of the runway. The airplane nosed over in a ditch, substantially damaging the left wing, and came to rest in 3 feet of water. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLFT Lafayette LA
- Destination: KAXH Houston TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 27, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KAXH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.