20090116000589A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Namer SNJ-5 · Merritt Island, FL · January 16, 2009

Date: January 16, 2009 · 18:00 local
Place: Merritt Island, FL
Airport: Merritt Island
Phase of flight: Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7861B
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09CA135
Reported as: Namer SNJ5
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 350 total30 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N7861BRegistered now · North American SNJ-5S/N 43736 · Built 1959 Airframe modelNorth American SNJ-5 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On 01-16-2009, north American snj, N7861B, was landing on runway 29 at Merritt Island (coi). After touch down and during rollout the aircraft left the runway to the right and then ground looped when the pilot tried to re-establish directional control. He hit runway sign during the ground loop. Winds at the time were reported to be 15 k (knots) gusting to 24 k at 360 degrees at a neighboring airport (tix).

As the FAA filed it

ON 01-16-2009, NORTH AMERICAN SNJ, N7861B, WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 29 AT MERRITT ISLAND (COI). AFTER TOUCH DOWN AND DURING ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT AND THEN GROUND LOOPED WHEN THE PILOT TRIED TO RE-ESTABLISH DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE HIT RUNWAY SIGN DURING THE GROUND LOOP. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED TO BE 15 K (KNOTS) GUSTING TO 24 K AT 360 DEGREES AT A NEIGHBORING AIRPORT (TIX).

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA09CA135Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMerritt Island, FLThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing in windy conditions.Jan 16, 2009 · Substantial damage