Private Pilot Allegedly Dies by Suicide in an Airplane

The pilot is believed to have intentionally crashed the aircraft in a remote part of Texas.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 05:33 PM ET

Verified

A 2023 Skyhawk like this one was lost in a fatal accident on January 24 in Texas. [Courtesy: ATP]

Key Takeaways:

Authorities are investigating the apparent suicide by airplane of 23-year-old Logan Timothy James on January 24.
James stole a Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP from ATP Flight School at Addison Airport, making a final defiant radio transmission before crashing in an open field in East Texas.
He left a suicide note at a Dallas residence, and the aircraft's ADS-B track showed a steep dive before impact.
The incident is currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA.

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Authorities in East Texas are investigating what appears to be suicide by airplane the night of January 24.

A release from the Texas Department of Public Safety states the airplane—a 2023 Cessna 172S Skyhawk SP (N23107)—was stolen from ATP Flight School at Addison Airport (KADS), located just north of downtown Dallas, by Logan Timothy James, 23, from Stokesdale, North Carolina. James was alone in the airplane.