- Date
- January 16, 2009, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Merritt Island, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7861BNorth American SNJ-5
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090116000589A
- Case key
- 73243
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 failure to maintain aircraft control during landing in windy conditions.
Findings · 3
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 was landing on runway 29 at his destination airport. The winds were from 350 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 18 knots. During the landing rollout, he lost directional control and the airplane ground-looped. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway and impacted a taxiway location sign. The airplane came to rest on the right side of the runway, approximately 1,250 feet from the threshold. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing, both main landing gear, and the propeller. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a North American SNJ-5 was landing on runway 29 at his destination airport. The winds were 350 at 15 gusting to 18 knots. During the landing rollout, he lost directional control and the airplane ground looped. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway and impacted a taxiway location sign. The airplane came to rest on the right side of the runway, approximately 1,250 feet from the threshold. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing, both main landing gear, and the propeller. No pre-impact mechanical malfunctions were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7861B
- Reported as
- North American SNJ-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 43736
- Airframe hours
- 6,387
- Engine
- P&W R1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 4, 2008
- Departed
- KISM · Kissimmee, FL
- Destination
- KCOI · Merritt Island, FL
- Airport
- COI · Merritt Island, runway 29, 3,601 × 75 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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 380 total · 90 in this make and model · 170 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOF, 8 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.