Amateur-built II N4NH accident near Spring, Texas

Preliminary information

On January 20,2026, 1658 central standard time, an amateur-built II, N4NH, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport, DWH, in Spring, Texas. The pilot, sole occupant, sustained no injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot departed runway 17L with intentions of staying in the traffic pattern and making a water landing at the adjacent water runway at the airport. After retracting the landing gear, the engine ran very rough and lost power from the normal 6,500 rpm to about 1,800 rpm. The airplane was about 100 ft above ground level (agl) as the pilot lowered the nose and prepared for landing on the remaining runway. The airplane landed hard on the left side of the runway with the wings level and the landing gear still retracted. The airplane continued into the grass on the left side of runway 17L and came to rest near taxiway H. Just before touchdown, the engine power began to recover, and the engine returned to full power as the airplane was sliding on its floats. The pilot closed the throttle to idle, turned off the engine, and exited the airplane.

During the hard landing the aluminum tubes from the rear engine area to the main landing gear were bent. The engine was displaced aft and the propeller contacted the elevator control tube and severed it. The elevator control horn was fractured and the elevator trim cable was damaged by contact with the propeller. The pilot also reported that several aluminum structural tubes were bent. He stated that there was no other damage to the airplane.

The pilot, with the help of ground personnel, lowered the landing gear, and returned the airplane to the hangar for further inspection.

Text from the NTSB; a preliminary report can change and names no cause. Open the NTSB docket for CEN26LA097 for the full record.