# Accident 20260815011429A: Pipistrel TAURUS ELECTRO G2.5, Hempstead, TX, August 15, 2026 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 15, 2026, 14:48 local time - Place: Hempstead, TX - Airport: Soaring Club Of Houston - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 30.1805° N, 95.9479° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1805&lon=-95.9479&mi=10 - Aircraft: N984TP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N984TP) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Pipistrel TAURUS ELECTRO G2.5 (registry code 05641QV, https://openairdocs.org/model/pipistrel-taurus-electro-g2-5) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPISTREL TAURUS ELECTRO G2.5 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 26,400 total, 150 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA294) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260815011429A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 8/15/2026 AT AROUND 14:48 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT WAS ON A CRUISE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM 89TA. PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS APPROXIMATELY AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2800 FEET, THE FLIGHT WAS NORMAL UNTIL APPLICATION OF THE MOTOR STOWING PROCEDURE. HE WENT TO STOW THE MOTOR. HE TURNED OFF THE SYSTEM ENABLE SWITCH BEFORE SELECTING THE MAST POSITION SWITCH TO DOWN. THIS CAUSED POWER TO THE MOTOR AND MAST TO BE REMOVED, CAUSING THE MOTOR TO WINDMILL AND THE MAST TO REMAIN UP AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE LOWERED. THE AIR RESISTANCE AND NOSE UP MOMENT CAUSED THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY RAPIDLY, WHICH CAUSED A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT SPIN TO THE LEFT. HE PUSHED FORWARD ON THE STICK AND PUSHED ON THE RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER FROM THE SPIN. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP VIOLENTLY AND ENTERED AN AGGRAVATED SPIN TO THE RIGHT. HE AGAIN PUSHED FORWARD ON THE STICK AND APPLIED THE LEFT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER FROM THAT SPIN. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND TO THOSE CONTROL INPUTS SO HE DEPLOYED THE AIRCRAFT’S BALLISTIC PARACHUTE. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED, HE SECURED THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. IN RETROSPECT HE BELIEVE THAT THE WINDMILLING PROPELLER AT THE STALLED ANGLE OF ATTACK BLANKED OUT THE ELEVATOR AND RUDDER RENDERING THEM UNRESPONSIVE. THE GLIDER CAME TO REST UPSIDE DOWN ON TOP OF TREE BRANCHES NEXT TO A POWER POLE AND A POND. THE REAR FUSELAGE AND EMPENNAGE WERE UPSIDE DOWN AND UP ABOUT A FOOT AWAY FROM THE GROUND. THE PARACHUTE LINES WERE HANGING OVER THE POWERLINES. THERE WAS NO POST ACCIDENT FIRE. ELT DID NOT ACTIVATE. THE COCKPIT PLEXIGLASS WAS SHATTERED. BOTH WINGS WERE DAMAGED; THE BALLISTIC PARACHUTE WENT THROUGH THE TOP OF THE RIGHT WING COMING OUT FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WING THAT IS WHY AIRPLANE RESTED UPSIDE DOWN. THE ELECTRIC MOTOR MAST AT CRASH SITE WAS FOUND EXTENDED; THE PROPELLER WAS STILL LINED UP WITH THE MAST. THE ONE SIDE OF THE PROPELLER THAT TOUCHED THE GROUND WAS BROKEN OFF AND LAYING NEXT TO MAST. THE PROPELLER DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF SPINNING AT TIME OF IMPACT. RUDDER AND ELEVATOR WERE CHECK FOR BINDING, SURFACE CONTROLS MOVED SMOOTHLY, NO NOISES NOTED WHEN MOVED UP OR DOWN OR SIDE TO SIDE. THE FLAPERONS WERE AGAINST TREE BRANCHES THUS WE COULD NOT VERYFY CONTINUITY FOR THOSE CONTROL SURFACES. COCKPIT WAS BLOCKED OFF BY HEAVY BRANCHES SO ACCESS WAS VERY LIMITED TO TAKE PICTURES. THE LANDING GEAR WAS STILL RETRACTED. THE FLAPERONS WERE POSITIONED AT THE "L" POSITION. PILOT SUFFERED A BROKEN RIGHT ELBOW; FRACTURE DID NOT PROTRUDE THE SKIN. HE ALSO RECEIVED MINOR HEAD INJURIES. PILOT HAD SURGERY TO CORRECT FRACTURED ELBOW. DOCUMENTS RECOVERED AT CRASH SITE WERE THE FOLLOWING; GLIDER CHECKLISTS, AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION, PLANNED ROUTE WITH DESTINATION POINTS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN26LA294](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA294), Aug 15, 2026: Pipistrel Taurus Electro G2.5 (N984TP), Hempstead, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly stow the motor in preparation for approach and landing that resulted in a loss of airspeed and an inadvertent aerodynamic stall and spin. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.