Embraer ERJ-145 incident near Houston, Texas, March 29, 2013
On March 29, 2013, a Embraer ERJ-145, registered N12922, was involved in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Houston, Texas (George Bush Intercontinental/H airport). It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The uncommanded left deflection of the airplane's nose wheel due to a malfunction of the electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) within the nose wheel steering manifold assembly. The reason for the malfunction could not be determined; however, a foreign substance was found between the armature and coil of the EHSV that once removed improved the performance of the unit. It is unknown how the foreign substance was introduced to this location.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2013 · cases in 2013
- Place
- Houston, Texas · George Bush Intercontinental/H · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Embraer ERJ-145
- Registration
- N12922 · no longer on the register · serial 145338
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft experienced several uncommanded swerve events during multiple landings between the dates of 3/19/2013 and 3/29/2013. In each case the crew was able to regain and maintain runway heading. Maintenance troubleshooting led to the removal of the nose wheel steering manifold assembly on 3/29/2013. There were no further reports of uncommanded swerving or pulling to the left after this component was removed. Component level testing found that there were anomalies with the performance of the electrohydraulic servo valve (EHSV) within the nose wheel steering manifold assembly after being cold soaked. A teardown and examination of the EHSV identified the presence of a clear gel-like substance between the armature and the coil. Pressure gain plots showed that hysteresis improved following the removal of the substance from the armature. Since no other anomalies were identified with the EHSV during the examination, and since the removal of the gel-like substance improved the performance of the EHSV during bench testing, it is likely that this substance, when cold soaked, influenced the movement of the armature such that the EHSV commanded a left turn.
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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Malfunction other cases naming the landing gear
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not specified
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls Royce AE 3007 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls Royce AE 3007 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Expressjet Airlines INC
The flight
- Destination: IAH Houston TX
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on September 18, 2013. 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 | Systems 9 - Factual Report of Group Chairman | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Data Recorder - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Data Recorder - Attachment 1 (FDR Tabular Data for Event Flight) | data file | Download |
| 4 | Ehsv Hysteresis Test Results | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Hydraulic Fluid Analysis Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Materials Lab Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Uncommanded Nosewheel Steering Anomalies During Landing in Embraer EMB-145 Regional Jets | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Safety Recommendation Transmittal Letter | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N12922: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Embraer 663 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls Royce AE 3007 185 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Rolls Royce AE 3007 185 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,235 since 1982 · 1,056 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,943 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ENG13IA020.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.