Cirrus Design CORP SR22 accident near Houston, Texas, July 10, 2013
On July 10, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cirrus Design CORP SR22, registered N56FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Houston, Texas (George Bush Intercontinental airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to use the proper taxi procedure, which resulted in a brake system fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · George Bush Intercontinental · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design CORP SR22
- Registration
- N56FT · no longer on the register · serial 0026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a full-stop landing, the pilot taxied the airplane from the runway toward a fixed-base operator (FBO) and then reported to the FBO that the airplane's brakes were hot before getting to his parking spot. Several FBO personnel reported to the control tower operator that the airplane appeared to be on fire. The pilot exited the airplane, and the fire subsequently consumed portions of the fuselage and cockpit. Data extracted from the airplane revealed that the airplane taxied about 3.7 miles with the engine operating between 1,200 and 1,600 rpm. The airplane's pilot operating handbook warns that, if the 1,000 rpm taxi power limit and proper braking techniques are not used, the brake system may overheat, which could result in a brake fire. It is likely that the pilot's operation of the engine at a higher-than-recommended rpm level during a long taxi resulted in the brake system overheating and a subsequent 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
What happened, in order
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 25,578 hours in all; 26.6 in this make and model; 37.7 in the last 90 days; 16.6 in the last 30 days; 17,667 as pilot in command; 1,349 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,257.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2013; 1.8 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 2,256 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KUVA Uvalde TX at 6:10 pm
- Destination: IAH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KIAH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.