Piper PA-32-300 accident near Galveston, Texas, November 15, 2001
On November 15, 2001 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N60TT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galveston, Texas (Scholes Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to set the parking brake before exiting the aircraft to remove the wheel chocks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2001 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Galveston, Texas · Scholes Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N60TT · registry record · serial 32-7940151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had flown the airplane four days prior to the accident date, and after that flight, had inadvertently left the airplane's electrical master switch "ON," which resulted in a discharged battery. In order to start the engine, the pilot connected electrical power to the exterior battery receptacle. The pilot then boarded the airplane and started the engine. After the engine was started, the pilot "set the engine rpm to a low setting," got out of the airplane, and removed the exterior power source and wheel chocks. After removing the wheel chocks, the airplane started to move forward. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane, but was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the unoccupied airplane taxied across the airport into a wet field where it impacted a small ditch.
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
- ON GROUND/WATER ENCOUNTER WITH TERRAIN/WATER during taxi
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 40 hours in all
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: GLS Galveston TX at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°C, dew point 68°C
- Altimeter: 30.040001 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from GLS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW02LA039.