North American SNJ-5 accident near Norfolk, Virginia, March 13, 1987
On March 13, 1987 at about 6:23 pm local time, a North American SNJ-5, registered N8218E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norfolk, Virginia (Norfolk International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1987 · about 6:23 pm local time
- Place
- Norfolk, Virginia · Norfolk International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-5 · all SNJ-5s on the register
- Registration
- N8218E · registry record · serial 121-42110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TOWER CLEARED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 35 AT NORFOLK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WITH WINDS FROM 010 DEGREES AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT ALL OTHER TRAFFIC WAS USING RUNWAY 05. DURING LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT, GROUNDLOOPED, COLLAPSING THE LEFT GEAR. THE PILOT STATED HE 'SHOULD HAVE INSISTED ON USING RUNWAY 05, THE AIRCRAFT CAN BETTER WITHSTAND A LEFT CROSSWIND.'
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,600 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,876 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:25 pm from ORF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.