Cessna 140 accident near Pearland, Texas, November 30, 2024
On November 30, 2024 at about 8:58 pm local time, a 1947 Cessna 140, registered N2933N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pearland, Texas (Pearland Regional 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
The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot that resulted in a loss of directional control during landing, and the excessive use of wheel brakes to regain directional control which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2024 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- Pearland, Texas · Pearland Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140, built 1947 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2933N · registry record · serial 12753
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student were conducting an instructional flight in the tailwheel airplane when it veered left shortly after a three-point landing. The flight instructor applied right rudder pedal input and kept the elevator control full aft, but the airplane continued to swerve left. The flight instructor was able to regain directional control after he applied right brake, but the airplane then slowly nosed over on the runway. The upper portion of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were substantially damaged when they struck the runway. The flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. The student pilot was uncertain if he removed his feet from his rudder pedals and toe brakes after the flight instructor took control of the airplane. Based on the available information, it is likely that an excessive use of wheel brakes was used to regain directional control which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,575 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 13,510 as pilot in command; 1,598 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 21, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,392 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2024; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C85-12F (piston); 1,981 hours total
- Operator: Welch Aviation Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: LVJ Pearland TX at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,313 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from LVJ
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLVJ 302053Z AUTO 08007KT 10SM OVC080 16/11 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP235 T01610106 56024=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Airplane at accident site
Photo 2 – Airplane at accident site, right side
Photo 3 – Airplane at accident site, left side
Photo 4 – Airplane at accident site, aftThe 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 January 21, 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Meteorological Data | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | 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.