Amateur-built MS-500 accident near Houston, Texas, October 29, 2022
On October 29, 2022 at about 4:40 pm local time, a 2018 amateur-built MS-500, registered N778MS, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Houston, Texas (Ellington airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to secure the magneto switch before attempting to hand rotate the engine which resulted in an inadvertent engine start, a runaway airplane, and subsequent impact with parked airplanes. Contributing to the accident was the failure to properly secure the airplane with chocks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2022 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Ellington · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MS-500, built 2018
- Registration
- N778MS · registry record · serial 4
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was preparing for a display flight in a local airshow which included a preflight procedure to rotate the engine prior to start for lubrication purposes. During the procedure, the electric starter motor struggled to rotate the engine due to viscous oil because of cooler overnight temperatures, and the main circuit breaker had tripped. The pilot turned off all cockpit switches, but forgot to turn off the magneto switch, and exited the airplane. The pilot then utilized a hand crank to rotate the engine, and the engine unexpectedly started. The wheel chocks had been previously removed in preparation for the planned flight, and the airplane began to move. Several ground personnel attempted to stop the airplane but were unsuccessful before the airplane impacted two parked airplanes. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Parking/securing › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 394 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 3,506 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Argus Motoren AS-10C (piston); 69 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from KEFD, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KEFD 291754Z 25009KT 10SM BKN026 18/12 A3003
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 30, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.