en.Wedoany.com Reported - A modified Boeing 777-200 freighter came dangerously close to disaster during a low pass at Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center (DZB) in Texas, with its right wingtip just inches from the ground. The aircraft, registered as N705DN, was originally a Delta Air Lines passenger jet and was operating a ferry flight from Grissom Aeroplex (GUS) in Indiana to Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) in Texas, but detoured to Jetran's base for a ceremonial flyby. The incident occurred on Wednesday, June 24, with video captured by @EBaviation on X platform documenting the harrowing moment. The Federal Aviation Administration will almost certainly investigate, and the pilots involved may face disciplinary action.

At the time, the aircraft was painted in Qatar Airways Cargo livery but was not flown by the airline's crew nor registered with Qatar Airways. The flyby was intended as a send-off before final delivery to Qatar Airways. Flightradar24 data showed that during the pass, the lowest ADS-B recorded value was 950 feet above sea level, but after correction for local barometric pressure and airport elevation, the reading indicated approximately 0 feet. The aircraft then continued its flight, landing safely at Fort Worth Alliance Airport before 3:00 PM local time. A Jetran spokesperson told Simple Flying that the company was aware of the low pass video and that the maneuver did not meet operational standards. The spokesperson emphasized that while the aircraft bore Qatar Airways livery, it was neither owned nor operated by the airline, and the pilots were not Qatar Airways pilots; the aircraft was undergoing final pre-delivery test flights and would join the Qatar Airways Cargo fleet as planned, with expectations that relevant parties and authorities would thoroughly investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

At the lowest point of the pass, the pilot banked the aircraft to the right, bringing the wingtip of this 777F just a few feet—possibly even inches—from the ground. Performing a banking maneuver at such an altitude is extremely dangerous, as any gust of wind could lead to disaster. Horseshoe Bay Airport features a 6,000-foot runway primarily used by private jets and small regional aircraft, and is located near residential areas. Such low passes have historically led to tragedies, such as the 1988 Habsheim air show crash of Air France Flight 296, which plunged into a forest during a ceremonial flyby, killing three. Earlier this year, a veteran Icelandair pilot was reported to police for an unauthorized flyby over Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) at just over 300 feet during his final flight.

The aircraft involved is a 17-year-old Boeing 777-200LR that served with Delta Air Lines for over a decade before being retired during the pandemic. It was initially stored at Victorville (VCV) before being acquired by Jetran, a Texas-based leasing and sales company. The aircraft became the prototype for Mammoth Freighters' passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion program, designated as the 777-200LRMF (Long Range Mammoth Freighter). Conversion work began in February 2022 and was completed in 2025, after which it was painted in Qatar Airways Cargo livery. Qatar Airways is the launch customer for the 777-200LRMF and will receive five airframes from Jetran, joining its freighter fleet of 30 777Fs. Mammoth Freighters recently received FAA supplemental type certification for the 777-200LRMF and holds over 30 firm conversion orders, with other customers including DHL and Ethiopian Airlines.

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