NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On February 4, 2000, at 1654 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-180, N6506J, was destroyed when it collided with trees and a railroad trestle while maneuvering near Frisco, Texas. The airplane was co-owned by two private individuals. The private pilot, who was a co-owner, and his passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Regulations Part 91 personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Aero Country Airport, McKinney, Texas, approximately 1645.

According to witnesses who were employees of Beal Aerospace Technologies Inc., of Frisco, Texas, the pilot was an employee of Beal Aerospace. Approximately 1600, the pilot requested to leave work early to fly his airplane and his supervisor granted permission. At 1645, workers at Beal Aerospace received a telephone call from the pilot. The pilot stated that he would execute a fly-by in fifteen minutes. Approximately 15 minutes had passed when the employees observed an airplane approach Beal Aerospace from the east, and make a "very low high speed pass." The airplane flew approximately one mile west of Beal Aerospace, turned around, and made another pass from west to east. One employee reported that during the airplane's second pass, "the pilot was considerably lower than before and I thought the pilot was going to clip the top of trees. When the pilot banked to come up the tip of the right wing caught the top of trees, and [the airplane] cartwheeled to the ground."

According to a witness who was driving north on the Dallas Parkway, "the plane first caught [his] attention as it came from the east as it was low and fast." (Beal Aerospace is located at 8000 N. Dallas Parkway.) He thought it was a "corporate jet" due to its speed. The airplane "made two quick and distinct stair-stepped drops in altitude and looked to [him] to cross above the Beal Aerospace building within twenty feet from the top of the building." The airplane continued from east to west and entered a climbing left turn at a bank angle of "about 60 degrees." He stated that, "the bank made me think about watching crop dusters do their wing-over turns, but this was much larger or sweeping, covering much more area." The airplane continued turning to an easterly heading. As it headed east, toward Beal Aerospace, the airplane began "gaining speed and descending." The airplane momentarily passed behind trees and out of sight, but then reappeared in a climb, in a "high bank position about 80 degrees." He observed that the "right (lower) wing tip (last couple of feet) was still obstructed by trees, and [he] could see the right wing tearing apart, starting well above the trees within the two feet near the fuselage. [He] saw fuel spilling out of the wing as the fuselage continued to rotate in a clockwise direction (cartwheel)." The airplane then passed behind trees, out of sight of the witness.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The FAA issued the pilot a private pilot certificate on November 10, 1993. According to the pilot's most recent medical application, which was dated February 26, 1999, he had accumulated a total of 350 hours. According to the pilot's flight logbook, he completed a biennial flight review on March 3, 1999. The last entry in the pilot's logbook, which was dated March 8, 1999, indicated that he had accumulated a total of 202.5 hours. The co-owner of the airplane reported that the last time the pilot had flown the airplane was approximately one month prior to the accident. He added that the pilot had accumulated 25 hours in the accident airplane.

The pilot held a valid third class medical certificate that was issued on February 26, 1999. The only limitation to the medical certificate was that the pilot was to wear corrective lenses while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The white and red, 1968 Piper PA-28-180, serial number 28-4942, was powered by a 180 horsepower Lycoming O-360-A1A engine. The airplane was equipped with a 2-bladed Sensenich fixed pitch propeller. The airframe underwent its most recent annual inspection on July 6, 1999, at which time the airframe had accumulated a total of 5,492.6 hours. The engine underwent its most recent 100-hour inspection on July 6, 1999, at which time the engine had accumulated a total of 2,839.5 hours. The airframe had accumulated a total of 5,551.2 hours at the time of the accident. The airframe and engine maintenance logbooks were reviewed and no record of any uncorrected maintenance discrepancies was observed.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1647, the weather observation facility at the Addison Airport, Addison, Texas, (located 15 miles southwest of the accident site) reported clear skies, visibility 13 miles, temperature 52 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 21 degrees Fahrenheit, wind from 340 degrees at 10 knots, and altimeter 30.42 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The location of the accident site was recorded on a GPS receiver at north 033 degrees 08.571 minutes latitude and west 096 degrees 50.017 minutes longitude. The airplane contacted trees and a telephone wire that were adjacent to the Beal Aerospace building. The tree tops, which measured 25 feet agl, exhibited freshly cut limbs. Both wings, the right stabilator, the engine, and the propeller separated from the airframe during the impact sequence. The fuselage came to rest against a railroad trestle, which crosses a shallow stream.

The energy path was oriented on a heading of 110 degrees magnetic and measured 424 feet from the initial impact point with trees to the railroad trestle. The right wing separated from the airframe in two sections. The first section was located approximately 60 feet from the initial impact point. This section was between three and four feet long and exhibited leading edge damage, which included a semi-circular indentation consistent with the diameter of the severed tree limbs found at the accident site. The remaining section was located just prior to the railroad trestle. The right stabilator was located in the tree tops 299 feet from the initial impact point. The engine and propeller were located just past and adjacent to the railroad trestle. The left wing was located past the railroad trestle and adjacent to the engine.

Flight control continuity was established from the "T-bar," which is located behind the instrument panel, to the stabilator and from the rudder to the rudder pedals. Continuity for the aileron control system could not be confirmed due to the extent of impact damage. The elevator trim was found in the 1.2 degrees tab-up position. The flaps were found in the retracted position.

The front side of the engine's crankcase was damaged. The crankshaft could not be rotated as a result of the damage. Continuity to the accessory gears was confirmed visually. Each of the engine's accessories was located at the accident site. The accessories were separated from the engine, and #1, #2, and #3 cylinders were damaged. Additionally, a tree branch was found lodged in the air intake.

The propeller was separated aft of the crankshaft propeller flange. One blade exhibited "S-bending," the tip was bent, and the leading edge contained gouges. The second propeller blade was bent aft at mid-span and exhibited impact burnishing on the front of the blade.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Collin County Medical Examiner's Office, McKinney, Texas. Toxicological tests performed by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, were negative for cyanide, alcohol, and drugs.

ADDITONAL INFORMATION

The airplane was released to the owner's representative on February 24, 2000.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance with trees during an intentional low altitude flight maneuver.