Embraer S A EMB-545 accident near Houston, Texas, October 3, 2022
On October 3, 2022 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Embraer S A EMB-545, registered N179SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Houston, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 crew failed to ensure the main entry door was locked before departure. Contributing to the accident was a corroded/jammed door sensor that provided an erroneous locked indication to the crew alerting system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2022 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer S A EMB-545 · all EMB-545s on the register
- Registration
- N179SP · no longer on the register · serial 55010008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The two pilots departed on a business flight with two passengers and observed that the airplane did not pressurize during the initial climb out. As the climb continued, the crew observed a door open warning on the crew alerting system (CAS). The pilot in command (PIC), seated in the right seat, got out of his seat to check the door and attempted to push the handle down toward the locked position, but stated that “it kept coming up.” About 14 seconds after the PIC got out of his seat, the main cabin door opened inflight, which resulted in substantial damage to the door and fuselage. The PIC returned to his seat and commented several times that the second in command (SIC) had not secured the door. The flight returned to land without further incident. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have prevented the door from a normal sequence of closing, latching, and locking. A corroded/jammed locked sensor assembly was observed that erroneously indicated a locked door to the CAS when the door was actually only latched but not locked. However, the two visual locked indications on the door functioned properly, which was consistent with the crew not fully closing the door or observing the unsafe (red) visual locked indicators. During climb out, the aerodynamic forces on the door and/or airplane vibration likely caused the target for closed door sensor to move away from the sensor, which triggered the CAS door open warning. The aerodynamic forces on the door, airplane vibration, and/or the PIC’s handle movement likely allowed the door to open inflight.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Copilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › (general) › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 24,500 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 16,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,970 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 24, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 35,758 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell AS907-3-1E (turbofan); 1,662 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell AS907-3-1E (turbofan); 1,662 hours total
- Operator: Partee Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX at 10:36 pm
- Destination: BPG Big Spring TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KHOU
Weather report (METAR): KHOU 032153Z 06003KT 10SM FEW180 BKN250 31/08 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP172 T03110078
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 CEN23LA003.