FAA Probes Boeing 777'S Low Flyover at Texas Airfield
WHO:
CBS News - The Boeing 777 is owned by Jetran, a company based in Horseshoe Bay.
CBS News - Qatar Airways deferred comments to Jetran.
CBS News - Former National Transportation Safety Board Chair Robert Sumwalt commented on the incident.
WHAT:
Business Insider - The aircraft's owner, Jetran LLC, stated that the maneuver does "not reflect operational standards" and expects the "relevant parties and authorities to investigate."
Business Insider - Retired Delta Air Lines captain Mark Stephens described the maneuver as "reckless" and stated, "This was reckless and could have been a huge disaster."
Business Insider - Veteran test and ferry pilot Steve Giordano called the maneuver an "insanely bad" idea, stating, "Inches from disaster and for what? Stupid stupid stupid."
ABC News - ABC News aviation analyst Steve Ganyard characterized the maneuver as "flat hatting," which he defined as "showing off in a way that was dangerous or endangered that airplane and the rest of the crew."
CBS News - The Boeing 777's wingtip appeared to come within feet of the pavement during the low pass, with bystanders standing just yards away.
Business Insider - The aircraft's owner, Jetran LLC, stated that the maneuver does "not reflect operational standards" and expects the "relevant parties and authorities to investigate."
Business Insider - The 777 was a former Delta jet registered as N705DN, flying from Indiana to Dallas-Fort Worth when it took the low-altitude detour.
Business Insider - The International Bureau of Aviation estimated that a converted 777 will likely cost upward of $80 million, with extra engine work potentially bringing the cost closer to $100 million.
Business Insider - The FAA could impose a civil fine of a few thousand dollars on a pilot for violations and potentially revoke their license, with regulatory violation fines against the operator potentially totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
CBS News - A Boeing 777 made a very low pass over the Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center airport, reportedly no more than 25 feet above the ground.
CBS News - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident.
CBS News - The pilots alerted air traffic control about the maneuver, stating, "We are turning final runway 17 for a low approach, 5DN heavy."
CBS News - Jetran stated that the plane was undergoing a final pre-delivery test flight prior to its planned entry into the Qatar Airways Cargo fleet.
WHERE:
CBS News - The incident occurred at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center airport in Central Texas.
WHY:
Business Insider - Jetran indicated that the flyover occurred during a test flight ahead of the 777's planned delivery to Qatar Airways Cargo, the freight division of the Doha-based company.
CBS News - Jetran indicated that the aircraft was painted in Qatar Airways livery but was not owned or operated by Qatar Airways, and the pilots were not Qatar Airways pilots.
CBS News - Sumwalt described the maneuver as "another example of stupid pilot tricks," suggesting there was no legitimate reason for the low flyover.
HOW:
Business Insider - FlightRadar24 data shows the 777 was flying from Indiana to Dallas-Fort Worth when it took an extremely low-altitude detour over Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center near Austin.
CBS News - The low pass was captured on video, which went viral, prompting the FAA investigation.
(UPDATED June 27, 2026 13:20 UTC)
A test flight involving a 777 aircraft owned by Jetran LLC has drawn criticism after it took an extremely low-altitude detour over Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center near Austin, with the company stating that the maneuver does not reflect operational standards and calling for an investigation. Retired Delta Air Lines captain Mark Stephens labeled the action as "reckless," while veteran test pilot Steve Giordano described it as an "insanely bad" idea, emphasizing how close it came to disaster. ABC News aviation analyst Steve Ganyard referred to the maneuver as "flat hatting," which he explained involves dangerous show-off behavior that endangers both the aircraft and its crew.
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(UPDATED June 27, 2026 04:21 UTC)
A Boeing 777, previously a Delta jet, made a low-altitude maneuver during a flight from Indiana to Dallas-Fort Worth, coming alarmingly close to the pavement with bystanders just yards away. The aircraft's owner, Jetran LLC, has stated that this action does not meet operational standards and is calling for an investigation by the relevant authorities. The FAA is considering imposing civil fines on the pilot for any violations, which could range from a few thousand dollars to potentially revoking their license, while fines against the operator could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
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(UPDATED June 27, 2026 01:37 UTC)
A Boeing 777 owned by Jetran made a very low pass over the Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center airport in Central Texas, reportedly no more than 25 feet above the ground, prompting an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. The pilots alerted air traffic control about the maneuver, indicating it was part of a final pre-delivery test flight before the aircraft's entry into the Qatar Airways Cargo fleet, although Jetran clarified that the plane was not owned or operated by Qatar Airways. Former National Transportation Safety Board Chair Robert Sumwalt criticized the maneuver as "another example of stupid pilot tricks," suggesting there was no legitimate reason for such a low flyover, which was captured on video and has since gone viral.