Cessna 172 accident near Tomball, Texas, May 14, 2019
On May 14, 2019 at about 9:19 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 172, registered N8159U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Tomball, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Memorial airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a left crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 2019 · about 9:19 pm local time
- Place
- Tomball, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 F, built 1964 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8159U · no longer on the register · serial 17252059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, he made flight control and power setting inputs to compensate for a left crosswind. He added that, shortly after touchdown, the nosewheel "violently shimmied," so he applied back pressure on the control yoke, and the airplane began "to roll and yaw to the right." The student applied left rudder control, and the nosewheel began to shimmy again. The airplane travelled toward the left edge of the runway, and the student decided to apply heavy braking. The airplane encountered soft soil and subsequently nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.
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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mjh Aero Inc
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX
- Destination: DWH Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,009 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KDWH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 9, 2020. 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.