Amateur-built DHC-6 accident near Mckinney, Texas, April 3, 1983
On April 3, 1983 at about 1:10 am local time, a amateur-built DHC-6, registered N927BA, was involved in an accident near Mckinney, Texas (Aero Country airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1983 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Mckinney, Texas · Aero Country · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6
- Registration
- N927BA · registry record · serial 50
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THREE OBSERVERS ACCOMPANIED THE AIRCREW & OTHER PASSENGERS ON A FLT TO TRANSPORT SKYDIVERS ALOFT. PRIOR TO THE FLT, ALL 3 OF THE OBSERVERS WERE BRIEFED NOT TO EXIT THE ACFT UNTIL THE ENGINES WERE SECURED. HOWEVER, 1 OF THE 3 DISCUSSED THE NEED TO MOVE A CESSNA 172 AT THE COMPLETION OF THE FLT. AFTER RETURNING FROM THE FLT, THE AIRCREW STOPPED THE PLANE ON THE RAMP. WHILE THE ENGINES WERE STILL RUNNING, THE OCCUPANT THAT WANTED TO MOVE THE CESSNA EXITED THE ACFT. UNBEKNOWN TO HIM & THE PLT, THE OTHER 2 OCCUPANTS ALSO EXITED THE ACFT. ONE OF THEM WALKED INTO THE ARC OF THE LEFT PROPELLER & RECEIVED A FATAL HEAD INJURY.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,581 hours in all; 3,220 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 15,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 11,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6-A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.