Piper PA-31T1 accident near Houston, Texas, May 21, 2000
On May 21, 2000 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T1, registered N301TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (William P. Hobby airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors were the partially engaged parking brake and the pilot's diverted attention to the engine instruments.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2000 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · William P. Hobby · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T1 · all PA-31T1s on the register
- Registration
- N301TA · registry record · serial 7904041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the parking brake was set, the left engine of the multiengine airplane was running, and he was starting the right engine. After the right engine started, the pilot checked the engine instruments. The pilot was unaware that the airplane was moving forward on the ramp. The airplane traveled approximately 75 feet, and the right engine impacted the propeller of a parked, unoccupied single-engine airplane. Post-accident examination revealed that the parking brake of the multiengine airplane was not completely engaged.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,653 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,453 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 8,700 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-11 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HOU
- Destination: LFK Lufkin TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.