Cirrus Design Corp. SR22 accident near Houston, Texas, December 9, 2005
On December 9, 2005 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR22, registered N302BY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive taxi speed and his excessive use of brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2005 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR22
- Registration
- N302BY · registry record · serial 0985
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an extended taxi the single-engine airplane experienced a right brake fire. The pilot and his two passengers were able to egress the airplane unassisted before the fire was extinguished using large capacity fire extinguishers. Data downloaded from the engine monitor revealed that the 4,100-hour airline transport pilot had taxied the airplane at an average engine speed of 1,640 RPM. The data also revealed that during the taxi, the pilot reached speeds up to 29 mph and often reduced speed without reducing the engine RPM. The Pilot Operating Hand Book listed the following: "Taxi with minimum power needed for forward movement. Excessive braking may result in overheating or damaged brakes. Damage due to overheated brakes may result in brake system malfunction or failure." An examination of the left and right brakes was performed. The O-rings on the left brake pistons were soft and round in shape. The O-rings on the right brake pistons were hard and brittle.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 155 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 282 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2005; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-550N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX
- Destination: MOB Mobile AL
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from DWH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.