20180425024389A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · North American SNJ-5 · Kingsville, TX · April 25, 2018

Date: April 25, 2018 · 12:50 local
Place: Kingsville, TX
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N12377
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN18FA147
Reported as: North American SNJ-5
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N12377Registration cancelled May 1, 2020 · North American SNJ-5S/N 85086 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.

Aircraft departed runway 13. Immediately after rotation, the pilot performed a hard right turn at low altitude and speed; witness reports stated a 90-degree bank, which abruptly became 135 degrees before impact. The naval controller stated the pilot requested a teardrop departure, which was approved. The winds were 120 degrees 16/G23KT. The maneuver at low altitude and low speed with the prevailing wind gusts were too much for the aircraft to recover from at such a low altitude. The aircraft impacted the ground almost inverted resulting in its complete destruction and a post-crash fire. Both the pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 13. IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROTATION, THE PILOT PERFORMED A HARD RIGHT TURN AT LOW ALTITUDE AND SPEED; WITNESS REPORTS STATED A 90-DEGREE BANK, WHICH ABRUPTLY BECAME 135 DEGREES BEFORE IMPACT. THE NAVAL CONTROLLER STATED THE PILOT REQUESTED A TEARDROP DEPARTURE, WHICH WAS APPROVED. THE WINDS WERE 120 DEGREES 16/G23KT. THE MANEUVER AT LOW ALTITUDE AND LOW SPEED WITH THE PREVAILING WIND GUSTS WERE TOO MUCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT TO RECOVER FROM AT SUCH A LOW ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ALMOST INVERTED RESULTING IN ITS COMPLETE DESTRUCTION AND A POST-CRASH FIRE. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES.

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 CEN18FA147Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportKingsville, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a steep turn after takeoff, resulting in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent accelerated stall at an altitude too low for recovery.Apr 25, 2018 · Destroyed

Other reports on N12377 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19891002039259AFinal Approach · Los Angeles, CAOn final for the runway,collided with an unlighted power pole,was unaware of descent. Made go around. Landed safelyOct 2, 1989 · Substantial damage