Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250 SP accident near Hondo, Texas, March 12, 2015
On March 12, 2015 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 2008 Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250 SP, registered N638J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hondo, Texas (South Texas Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control. Contributing to this accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2015 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hondo, Texas · South Texas Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250 SP NO SERIES, built 2008 · all J250 SPs on the register
- Registration
- N638J · no longer on the register · serial 523
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the student pilot and flight instructor remained in the local area to practice maneuvers. On return to the airport, during the first full stop landing, the student pilot landed in a flat attitude, but left of centerline. During the landing roll, the student pilot veered left onto an intersecting runway and the flight instructor applied the hand brake. The airplane overran the width of the intersecting runway into rough terrain, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and right wing lift strut. Both occupants reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation; however, the student pilot stated that a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the left. The flight instructor's statement and weather reports indicate that there were no wind gusts at the time of the accident.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 147 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HDO Hondo TX at 7:30 pm
- Destination: HDO Hondo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 3,224 ft by 140 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from KHDO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.