North American SNJ 6 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, May 18, 2014
On May 18, 2014 at about 6:00 pm local time, a North American SNJ 6, registered N5485V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing and subsequent go around attempt.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2014 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ 6 6 · all SNJ 6s on the register
- Registration
- N5485V · registry record · serial 112007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of visual reference during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Other weather encounter during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › (general) › Design
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Symington Management Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 20, 8,366 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from KSAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5485V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN14CA246.