# Accident 20000521023389A: Piper PA31T1, Houston, TX, May 21, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 2000, 11:50 local time
- Place: Houston, TX
- Airport: William P Hobby Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other Ground Ops
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.6496° N, 95.2798° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6496&lon=-95.2798&mi=10
- Aircraft: N301TA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N301TA-2020-12-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31T1 (registry code 7103126, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-45 (registry code 52105, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-45) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA31T1
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A11
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,653 total, 53 in this make and model, 24 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA150) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000521023389A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)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.                                                     (-23)PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED NEGLECTED TO PROPERLY SET THE PARKING BRAKE PRIOR TO ENGINE STARTS ON N301TA.  UPON START OF THE SECOND, (RIGHT), ENGINE IT APPEARED TO WITNESS THAT ^PRIVACY DA^ LOOKED DOWN AS IF READING OR REVIEWING SOMETHING IN HIS LAP.  THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED FORWARD AND LEFWARD UNDER IT'S OWN POWER APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET.  AT THIS POINT THE RIGHT PROPELLER OF N301TA STRUCK N9968P'S, (A-36), PROPELLER.  N9968P'S NOSEWHEEL WAS LIFTED OFF IT'S CHOCKS AND PUSHED REARWARD DRAGGING IT'S TAIL APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET ALONG THE GROUND UNTIL COMING TO REST.  THERE WERE NO OCCUPANTS ON BOARD N9968P.  THERE WERE THREE OCCUPANTS ON BOARD N301TA AND THREE RAYTHEON GROUND PERSONEL IN THE GENERAL AREA.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO ANYONE IN N301TA OR GROUND PERSONNEL.

## 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 FTW00LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA150), May 21, 2000: Piper PA-31T1 (N301TA), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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.

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.

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