# NTSB ERA26LA232: North American SNJ-5C, N98RJ, Midland, VA, June 6, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: June 6, 2026, 09:40 local (13:40 UTC)
- Place: Midland, VA
- Coordinates: 38.588918, -77.708098
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5889&lon=-77.7081&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203134
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA232
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203134/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA232

## Preliminary report

On June 6, 2026, about 0940 eastern daylight time, a North American SNJ-5C, N98RJ was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Midland, Virginia. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot of the airplane departed from Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpepper, Virginia and joined a formation flight of 4 airplanes in position No. 3 to perform maneuvers for airshow practice. About 0940, while flying at 3,800 ft mean sea level (msl), 4 nautical miles northeast of Warrenton/Fauquier Airport (HWY), Warrenton, Virginia, the pilot reported that the airplane’s propeller separated and impacted the left wing. The pilot executed an emergency power off landing at HWY without further incident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the leading edge of the left wing was substantially damaged from the left landing light to approximately 8 feet outboard of the light. The propeller, and a portion of the crankshaft that also separated from the engine, were not recovered. Ferrous metal debris were present on a magnetic chip detector in the engine, and ferrous and non-ferrous metal debris were present in the propeller oil feed pipe channel and sump. Metal particulate was also found in the oil filter and suction screen. The remaining end of the crankshaft displayed signatures consistent with tortional shear, with the propeller guide channels being slanted. The engine was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338) (defining event); cases with it: [North American SNJ-5C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=6400417), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N98RJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N98RJ), registered now, S/N 90752, built 1944 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN SNJ-5C
- Registry model: [North American SNJ-5C](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-snj-5c) (registry code 6400417) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 90752
- Year built: 1944
- Airframe hours: 12150
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Wag Air LLC
- Registered owner: Wag Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 21, 2026, 9.4 hours before
- Departed: CJR, Culpeper, VA
- Destination: CJR, Culpeper, VA
- Airport: HWY, Warrenton-Fauquier, runway 15, 5,000 × 93 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observed at: KHWY
- METAR: METAR KHWY 061555Z AUTO 20003KT 10SM CLR 29/16 A2999 RMK AO2 T02930162

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20260606005989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260606005989A), Jun 6, 2026: North American SNJ-5C, Midland, VA, Substantial damage. During practice formation flying, the engine experienced a catostrophic internal failure and stopped. The propeller shaft sheared and propeller departed to the…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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