Piper PA-28-180 accident near Frisco, Texas, February 4, 2000
On February 4, 2000 at about 10:54 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N6506J, was destroyed in an accident near Frisco, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees during an intentional low altitude flight maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2000 · about 10:54 pm local time
- Place
- Frisco, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6506J · no longer on the register · serial 28-4942
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 350 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,551 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1999; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX05 Mckinney TX at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from ADS, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.