# NTSB CEN10FA124: Piper PA-28-236, N2889D, Austin, TX, February 18, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: February 18, 2010, 10:22 local (16:22 UTC) - Place: Austin, TX - Coordinates: 30.304445, -97.719718 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3044&lon=-97.7197&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Other: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal; on the ground: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 75381 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10FA124 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75381/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75381 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA124 ## Probable cause The pilot’s intentional flight into a building. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Intentional act: suicide](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-236, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md?model=7102815), [All aircraft, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02051015/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Other authority investigated (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-236, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102815), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Other: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-236, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102815), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Other: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-236, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md?model=7102815), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane was destroyed after the pilot intentionally flew it into the side of an office building in Austin, Texas. The private pilot and an employee who worked in the building were killed. As this event was an intentional act, the Federal Bureau of Investigation assumed jurisdiction and control of the investigation. ## Factual narrative On February 18, 2010, approximately 0958 Central Standard Time, N2889D, a Piper PA-28-236 single-engine airplane, was destroyed after the pilot intentionally flew it into the side of an office building in Austin, Texas. The private pilot and an employee who worked in the building were killed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from the Georgetown Municipal Airport (GTU), Georgetown, Texas, at 0944. Preliminary review of air traffic control communications and radar data revealed that after the pilot was cleared for take off from Georgetown Airport, he proceeded southbound and climbed to an altitude of 4,800 feet. During this time, a controller approved a radio frequency change and the pilot responded, "Eight niner delta thanks for your help have a great day." No further communications were made with the pilot. At 0954, the airplane was observed on radar descending out of 4,800 feet and making a turn toward the west. At 0957, the airplane was last observed on radar at an altitude of 1,000 feet on a southwesterly heading before the data ended. The airplane collided with the office building between the first and second floors, and exploded on impact. The airplane's engine, two (of three) propeller blades, and the right wing came to rest outside of the building. The empennage came to rest on the ledge of the building and was partially hanging over the edge. The left wing, portions of the fuselage, and a propeller blade, were found inside the building on the second floor. The flaps were found in the fully retracted position. The airplane was destroyed by impact and the post-impact fire. The weather at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin Texas, at 0953, was reported as calm wind, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature 9 degrees Celsius, dew point 1 degree Celsius, and a barometric pressure setting of 30. 24. As this event was an intentional act, the FBI has assumed jurisdiction and control of the investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2889D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2889D-2017-02-22), registration cancelled 2017-02-22, S/N 28-7911227 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-236 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-236](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236) (registry code 7102815) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7911227 - Engines: reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Stack Joseph A - Registered owner: Stack Joseph A ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100218047279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100218047279A), Feb 18, 2010: Piper PA-28-236, Austin, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Pilot flew aircraft into irs government office intentionally. ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75381. 32 KB in all. - Jurisdiction Notice (item 1, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341056&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Jurisdiction%20Notice-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.