North American SNJ-5 accident near Bloomington, Illinois, September 22, 2007
On September 22, 2007 at about 9:30 pm local time, a North American SNJ-5, registered N11HP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bloomington, Illinois (Central Illinois Regional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff roll which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2007 · about 9:30 pm local time · cases in 2007
- Place
- Bloomington, Illinois · Central Illinois Regional · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-5 · all SNJ-5s on the register
- Registration
- N11HP · registry record · serial 90735
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ground looped during the takeoff roll. The pilot reported that the airplane started to veer to the left as he increased engine power for the takeoff roll on runway 11 (6,525 feet by 150 feet, concrete). The pilot reduced engine power to idle as the airplane departed off the left side of the runway. The right wingtip, tip rib, and aileron were damaged during the ground loop. The pilot reported that his rapid advance of engine power and inadequate use of up-elevator (backstick) contributed to the tail becoming prematurely airborne and the subsequent loss of directional control. The winds were reported to be variable at 5 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 637 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 539 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,339 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMI Bloomington IL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: ARR Aurora IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 6,525 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from BMI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N11HP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American SNJ-5 Texan (Navy) 136 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340AN1 64 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Central IL Rgnl/Bloomington-Normal Airport · nearest airport
- Aurora Municipal · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Illinois 2,118 since 1982 · 251 in the last ten years
- Illinois 8,070 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI07CA303.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.