General Motors FM-2 accident near Houston, Texas, October 18, 2003
On October 18, 2003 at about 11:17 pm local time, a General Motors FM-2, registered N681S, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas (Ellington Field Airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin while maneuvering to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2003 · about 11:17 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Ellington Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- General Motors FM-2
- Registration
- N681S · registry record · serial 55585
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering to land, the pilot inadvertently stalled and impacted the terrain. The pilot had been instructed by air traffic control to increase the separation between it and the airplane it was following. Several witnesses stated the airplane did a series of 360-degree steep turns. During a right turn, the airplane pitched nose up, the wings "wobbled", the airplane descend and entered a partial spin. One witness stated it appeared the airplane, approximately 50 feet agl, attempted to level off; however, then it impacted the terrain in a nose down attitude. Another witness stated the propeller was turning and did not notice any problems with the airplane or engine. The witnesses did not observe any smoke or fire from the airplane prior to the impact.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,448 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,821.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 12, 2003; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,952 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-76B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Commemorative Air Force
The flight
- Departed from: EFD Houston TX
- Destination: EFD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 9,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from EFD, 1 miles away
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.