Piper PA-15 accident near Pleasanton, Texas, November 30, 2008
On November 30, 2008 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-15, registered N4659H, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Pleasanton, Texas (Pleasanton Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to adequately secure the airplane while hand-starting the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2008 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pleasanton, Texas · Pleasanton Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-15 · all PA-15s on the register
- Registration
- N4659H · registry record · serial 15-368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to starting the engine, the pilot had tied down the airplane's tail on the ramp with a rope because no wheel chocks were available. After the pilot started the engine via hand turning the propeller, the rope that retained the airplane broke. The pilot attempted to hang onto the airplane in order to regain control, however, he was unsuccessful. The unoccupied airplane then struck a parked aircraft, a fence, and came to rest on its nose against the fence. The pilot was not injured.
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
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Parking/securing › Tie › down/mooring › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,883 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,162 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 28, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-145-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PEZ Pleasanton TX
- Destination: PEZ Pleasanton TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.