Piper PA-28-180 accident near Arlington, Texas, June 19, 1996
On June 19, 1996 at about 1:10 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N6634J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Arlington, Texas (Arlington Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
inadequate instruction by the flight instructor (CFI), and his inadequate supervision of the dual student. Factors relating to the accident were: the student pilot's failure to understand or select the normal (hand) brakes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1996 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Arlington Municipal · 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
- N6634J · registry record · serial 28-5101
- 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 on his first lesson in this airplane, which was equipped with only a hand brake. The student was not aware of the lack of toe brakes. During the start procedure, the instructor pilot (CFI) read the checklist, including 'set brakes.' The student responded 'brakes' and applied pressure on the upper portions of the rudder pedals. Previous airplanes flown by the student were equipped with hand brakes and toe brakes. The throttle was set at '1/2' open, and when the engine started, the airplane rolled forward and to the left toward a fence. The instructor applied full aft yoke, right rudder, and hand braking; however, the airplane struck the fence and a parked vehicle.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 859 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 803 as pilot in command; 286 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 17, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from FTW, 187 miles away
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.