Piper PA-28-180 accident near Denton, Texas, October 13, 2023
On October 13, 2023 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1968 Piper PA-28-180, registered N6605J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Denton, Texas (Denton Enterprise Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 2023 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Enterprise Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180, built 1968 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6605J · registry record · serial 28-5066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was landing during a solo flight, and the airplane drifted to the left while between 100-200 ft above the runway. The student pilot initiated a go around. During the go around attempt, the main landing gear touched the ground; one wheel touched the runway surface, and the other wheel touched the grass adjacent to the runway. The right wing impacted the ground. The airplane departed the runway and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The student pilot further reported that the surface wind, as observed at the windsock, had shifted to a tailwind during the flight.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 47.2 hours in all; 46.2 in this make and model; 3.5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,084 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 12, 2023
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-ACIA (piston); 4,161 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18R, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 8:59 am from KDTO
Weather report (METAR): KDTO 131359Z 27013KT 10SM FEW021 FEW028 23/19 A2979 RMK AO2 T02330189,M
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.