Amateur-built EV97 accident near Midland, Texas, July 29, 2024
On July 29, 2024 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2024 amateur-built EV97, registered N916SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Midland, Texas (Midland International Air And airport). It was a personal 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during taxi due to strong wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2024 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland International Air And · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EV97, built 2024
- Registration
- N916SR · registry record · serial 20242249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, she was on a multi-day cross-country flight in the experimental light sport airplane. Two days before the accident, she stopped for fuel and had the brakes serviced because she said the brakes were sticking while taxiing; she reported that the brakes worked fine after the maintenance was performed. The pilot continued the cross-country flight and stopped at another airport to refuel. The pilot reported that while taxiing from the fuel area to the runway, the right brake became inoperative, and the airplane veered off the taxiway and into the grass. The right landing gear strut broke, and the right wing sustained substantial damage. The brake system and the steering linkage for the nose landing gear were examined. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation of the brakes or steering. The investigators were unable to replicate the brake anomaly. At the time of the accident the wind was 140° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. It is likely that during the taxi the pilot did not properly account for the gusting wind and lost directional control.
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 taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 521 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command; 134 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 29, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 15, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912iS (piston); 20 hours total
- Operator: Erdman Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: EDC Austin TX at 4:09 pm
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KMAF
Weather report (METAR): KMAF 291853Z 14011G19KT 9SM CLR 33/17 A3001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane with damaged right wing
Photograph 2 – Accident airplane with damaged right wingThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 4, 2025. 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 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Record | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record A�� Mechanic | PDF, 1 page | 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.