- Date
- May 18, 2014, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Fe, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5485VNorth American SNJ 6
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20140518009839A
- Case key
- 89237
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing and subsequent go around attempt.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot had planned an overhead traffic pattern, which provided for better visibility when he sat in the rear seat. While on downwind the pilot was directed to extend downwind and fly a straight-in approach. The pilot accepted the instructions, knowing his visibility for landing would be restricted and he would likely have to drop the nose of the airplane on approach to see forward during landing. The pilot landed "a bit fast" after dropping the nose, and a light crosswind possibly pushed the airplane right. The pilot over corrected to the left and added power to go around. The airplane skidded left and exited the runway, causing the right main gear to collapse and the right wing and prop to strike the ground. In his statement, the pilot did not indicate there was any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot had planned an overhead traffic pattern, which provided for better visibility when he sat in the rear seat. While on downwind the pilot was directed to extend downwind and fly a straight-in approach. The pilot accepted the instructions, knowing his visibility for landing would be restricted and he would likely have to drop the nose of the airplane on approach to see forward during landing. The pilot landed "a bit fast" after dropping the nose, and a light crosswind possibly pushed the airplane right. The pilot over corrected to the left and added power to go around. The airplane skidded left and exited the runway, causing the right main gear to collapse and the right wing and prop to strike the ground. In his statement, the pilot did not indicate there was any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5485V
- Reported as
- North American SNJ 6 (6)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 112007
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 550 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Symington Management Services LLC
- Registered owner
- Symington Management Services LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SAF · Santa Fe, NM
- Destination
- SAF · Santa Fe, NM
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- SAF · Santa Fe Muni, runway 20, 8,366 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 600 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAF
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 11, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 19 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5485V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.