- Date
- March 27, 1994, 18:30 local (Mar 28, 1994, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N73SLNorth American SNJ-5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940327016139A
- Case key
- 19023
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 directional control.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During landing the pilot looked to the left side of the engine cowling to determine the amount of remaining runway. While he was looking left the airplane veered right sheared the left main landing gear and struck a tree.
Factual narrative
On March 27, 1994, at 1830 central standard time, a North American SNJ-5, N73SL, was substantially damaged during landing near Houston, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight.
The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator report that during the landing roll he "looked along the left side of the cowling to gage the remaining runway." He further reported that the "aircraft turned to the right into the prevailing crosswind," rolled onto the grass, with the braking action becoming "ineffective." Subsequently, the aircraft right wing impacted a tree and came to rest in a water-filled ditch.
The left main landing gear had sheared and there was damage to the left wing.
The aircraft was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73SL
- Reported as
- North American SNJ-5
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 90991
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 550 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rozzell, Scott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Provisional (Special); Standard, Normal
- Airport
- 5TA4 · Westheimer Airpark, runway 11, 2,500 × 28 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,320 total · 304 in this make and model · 1,215 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.