- Date
- March 24, 2026, 10:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Galveston, TX · On the uncontrolled ramp area
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Houston FSDO
- FAA reports
- 20260324002642I20260324002652A
- Case key
- 202693
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The biplane pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate visual lookout while taxiing, which included the failure to perform S-turns to compensate for limited forward visibility.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N43000 · Classic Waco YMF
N351L · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 NG
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N43000 · Classic Waco YMF
N351L · Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 NG
Analysis
The pilot receiving instruction and flight instructor of a single engine low wing airplane were completing a preflight engine run-up in the designated run-up area. The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped biplane after landing was cleared by the tower controller to taxi to the company hangar. The pilot of the biplane stated that while taxiing, he failed to make S-turns to improve his forward visibility due to the tailwheel configuration. The pilot of the biplane reported that he never saw the other airplane until making contact. The flight instructor stated that by the time they saw the biplane, there was not enough time to take evasive action before impact. The low wing airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, and the biplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right wing and wing struts. Both airplanes’ pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with their corresponding airplanes that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N43000
- Reported as
- Classic Waco YMF (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F5C-060
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 1,399
- Engine
- Jacobs Aircraft Engine R-755B2, 275 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Scallywag Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 18, 2026 · 39.4 hours before
- Departed
- KGLS · Galveston, TX
- Destination
- KGLS · Galveston, TX
- Airport
- KGLS · Scholes International At Galveston Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N351L
- Reported as
- Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 NG (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 40.NC051
- Built
- 2019
- Airframe hours
- 5,922.8
- Engine
- Austro Engine E4-A, 168 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Leadership in Flight Training Academy
- Registered owner
- Lift Aircraft LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 23, 2026 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- KGLA · Galveston, TX
- Destination
- KBMT · Beaumont, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N43000
- Age
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- November 24, 2025
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,339 total · 250 in this make and model · 5,198 as pilot in command · 15.5 in the last 90 days · 8.5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor, aircraft N351L
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 9, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 385 total · 360 in this make and model · 276 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot, aircraft N351L
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 50 in this make and model · 6 as pilot in command · 46 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KGLS
- METAR
- METAR KGLS 241452Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 23/21 A3014 RMK AO1 SLP206 T02280206 52012
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.