Piper PA-28-180 N6506J

Summary

On 4 February 2000 at about 22:54 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N6506J was involved in an accident near Frisco, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 February 2000 at 22:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Frisco, Texas, United States

Coordinates

33.1401, -96.8105

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N6506J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McKinney → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW00FA079

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees during an intentional low altitude flight maneuver.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After leaving his workplace early, the pilot called his fellow employees at 1645 and stated that he was going to execute a fly-by of their work building approximately 1700. Witnesses reported that the airplane approached the building from the east and made a 'very low, high speed pass.' The airplane flew past the building, turned around, and made a second pass from west to east. During the second pass, the airplane 'was considerably lower than before.' The airplane passed behind trees, but then reappeared in a climb and in a 'high bank position about 80 degrees.' The 'right (lower) wing tip (last couple of feet) was still obstructed by trees, and [the witness] could see the right wing tearing apart, starting well above the trees within the two feet near the fuselage. [The witness] saw fuel spilling out of the wing as the fuselage continued to rotate in a clockwise direction (cartwheel).' The airplane then impacted a railroad trestle. Examination of the airframe, engine, and maintenance logbooks revealed no evidence of any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.