FAA investigates viral low pass by freighter at Texas airport

A Boeing 777 freighter that passed within about 25 feet of the ground at a private Texas airfield would normally require careful coordination with controllers and the airport operator, and the Federal Aviation Administration is now examining whether the maneuver was sanctioned or a safety breach. The jet, identified by FlightRadar24 as N705DN, was a former Delta Air Lines 777-200LR converted to freighter configuration by Mammoth Freighters.

The low pass occurred at Horseshoe Bay Resort Jet Center on June 24, 2026, and the video quickly spread online, drawing unusual attention because the aircraft was a widebody Boeing 777 rather than the small planes more commonly seen at private airports. FlightRadar24 said its ADS-B receivers recorded a lowest altitude of 950 feet during the maneuver, even as the aircraft skimmed visibly low over the runway in the viral clip.

LiveATC.net recordings captured the pilot telling the controller they would be performing a “low approach,” a detail that will likely sit at the center of the FAA review. The incident has raised questions about whether the flight was a planned demonstration, a training exercise or an unnecessary risk at a private facility in Central Texas near Horseshoe Bay.

The aircraft was owned by Jetran LLC and was scheduled to be handed over to Qatar Airways Cargo. Mammoth Freighters said the jet carried Qatar Airways branding but was not owned or operated by Qatar Airways and was not being flown by Qatar Airways pilots. Jetran said the flyby was part of a marketing video and that the pilots flew lower than expected. With the FAA investigating and the operator offering a limited explanation, the episode has become a test case for how close a 777 can be flown to a private runway before a spectacle turns into a potential safety violation.