Piper PA-28-180 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, August 19, 1984
On August 19, 1984 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N6480J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Sycamore airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 19, 1984 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Sycamore · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6480J · registry record · serial 28-4908
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DUE TO ACFT PARKED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE NARROW (25 FT) RUNWAY AND A CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT, THE PLT FAVORED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY ON LANDING LINE-UP. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, HE WAS UNABLE TO ARREST A LEFT DRIFT BEFORE THE ACFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH.
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: 140 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 92 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,004 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,450 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from FTW, 12 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.