Beech E-55 accident near Tomball, Texas, March 6, 2023
On March 6, 2023 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 1971 Beech E-55, registered N101BM, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Tomball, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Meml 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
An inflight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2023 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tomball, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Meml · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-55, built 1971 · all E-55s on the register
- Registration
- N101BM · registry record · serial TE-847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during an instructional flight, a large bird flew into the path of the airplane and his evasive actions were unsuccessful in avoiding the bird. The bird struck the airplane’s left wing. The flight instructor made an uneventful landing following the bird strike. The left-wing leading edge and main spar were substantially damaged during the bird strike. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Birdstrike during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,470 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,632 as pilot in command; 2,274 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,732 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pour Le Martie Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: KDWH Spring TX at 9:20 pm
- Destination: KDWH Spring TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,009 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KDWH, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDWH 062053Z 25003KT 10SM SCT038 BKN050 27/18 A2997 RMK AO2 SLP147 T02720178 56026=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 12, 2023. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | 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.