Beech BE-300 accident near Houston, Texas, May 18, 2003
On May 18, 2003 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Beech BE-300, registered N2SM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (West Houston Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The severed hydraulic brake hoses induced a loss of braking action, which resulted in the pilot's failure to control the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2003 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · West Houston Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-300
- Registration
- N2SM · registry record · serial FL-24
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft overran the departure end of the runway while landing on Runway 33. The 5,200-hour pilot reported that while on the base leg, the annunciator light for the "low pitch stop" propeller system on the right side illuminated. The pilot pulled the circuit breaker and left it out, as per the pilot operating handbook (POH). During the landing-roll, the pilot encountered a severe yaw to the right. The pilot added power to the right engine and realigned the airplane down the centerline. He then applied brakes and reverse thrust. The pilot stated that " it felt like I had no braking action and then felt the right side grab and brake, but not the left." The combination of right side braking and the right low pitch system malfunction caused considerable adverse yaw, jerking the plane to the right. The pilot applied power again and straightened the nose of the airplane. He then made the decision to go around, but at this point did not have adequate airspeed or runway length to safely accomplish a go around. He applied the brakes again, and the airplane immediately yawed to the right again, at which time the pilot was unable to compensate before the airplane caught the edge of the runway. The airplane went into the grass, where the pilot attempted to control the direction of the airplane and bring it to a complete stop. Examination of the hydraulic brake hoses from the left and right main landing gears revealed that both hoses appeared to have been damaged with a hand tool.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 100 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 790 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 18, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOU William P Hobby TX at 2:15 pm
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,953 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.