North American AT-6D accident near Cypress, Texas, April 21, 1984
On April 21, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a North American AT-6D, registered N10605, was destroyed in an accident near Cypress, 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 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 21, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cypress, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6D · all AT-6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N10605 · no longer on the register · serial 88-16873
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE SPINNING AFTER ONLY A FEW MINUTES FLT. THE ACFT HAD JUST BEEN FLOWN BY ANOTHER PLT FOR APRX 20 MINUTES JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLT. THIS PLT/OWNER SAID THE ACFT OPERATED IN A TROUBLE FREE MANNER. DURING THE ACCIDENT FLT THE PLT MADE A HIGH SPEED PASS OVER THE RWY AFTER TAKEOFF AND PULLED UP IN A STEEP CLIMB. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A SPIN TO THE RIGHT WHICH ENDED IN THE CRASH WITH AN INTENSE GROUND FIRE THAT DESTROYED THE ACFT. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS REVEALED AND THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF THE PLT SHOWED NO PRE-ACCIDENT IMPAIRMENTS WHICH WOULD HAVE INTERFERED WITH THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE ACFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 190 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.