Micco Aircraft Company MAC-145B accident near Arcola, Texas, January 1, 2008
On January 1, 2008 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Micco Aircraft Company MAC-145B, registered N579RM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Arcola, Texas (Houston-Southwest airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2008 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arcola, Texas · Houston-Southwest · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Micco Aircraft Company MAC-145B
- Registration
- N579RM · registry record · serial 260004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was conducting a touch-and-go in a tailwheel-equipped airplane with a direct crosswind component of 15 knots gusting up to 20 knots from the left side of the airplane. During landing, the crosswinds began pushing the airplane to the right side of the runway. While correcting back to centerline the pilot reported that a combination of over-correction and gusty crosswinds caused a loss of control. The airplane ground looped, departed the left side of the runway, and came to rest upright with the nose of the aircraft pointed approximately 180 degree from runway heading. Damage was sustained to the wing spar.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 870 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 516 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T20 Gonzales TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: AXH Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 090, 5,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.62 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from SGR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.