Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Westminster, Texas, March 15, 1997
On March 15, 1997 at about 8:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N6219J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westminster, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance during an intentional low altitude maneuver. A factor was the transmission line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1997 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Westminster, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N6219J · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7635322
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a flight maneuver to videotape a passenger's residence, the pilot flew the airplane at 4 to 5 feet AGL over a road. The airplane struck a transmission line (23' 3' AGL) that crossed the road tearing off the outboard right wing and the upper rudder. The vertical height from the bottom of the fuselage to the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder measured 5'5'. The upper portion of the rudder, entangled with the transmission line, and 8' 9' of the outboard right wing were found on the road. The pilot reported that the control yoke would not go aft of neutral and the airplane descended with full throttle, suddenly rolling right and impacting the terrain inverted. The videotape shows the airplane in the flight maneuver, and throughout the flight the sound of engine power is audible and there are no visible discrepancies noted with the flight controls. During examination of the airplane, flight control continuity was confirmed and there were no preimpact discrepancies noted. From October 1993 through August 1995 the pilot logged 10.5 hrs in a PA-28R-200 airplane. Since August 1995, the pilot logged 10.0 hrs (including a flight review) in a PA-28-161 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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 934 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,272 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1997; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,548 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Monarch Air
The flight
- Departed from: TX05 Mckinney TX at 7:22 pm
- Destination: ADS Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.