Amateur-built Sorrell SNJ-7 accident near Belen, New Mexico, November 27, 2007
On November 27, 2007 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Sorrell SNJ-7, registered N74SR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Belen, New Mexico (Alexander Municipal 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 loss of directional control during landing resulting in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2007 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Belen, New Mexico · Alexander Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sorrell SNJ-7
- Registration
- N74SR · registry record · serial 280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot's statement, he was landing on runway 21 and the winds were light and variable. Shortly after touchdown on the runway, he lost directional control and the airplane ground looped. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane revealed that one main landing gear was separated and one was folded under the fuselage. Several right wing ribs were broken. No anomalies with the aircraft systems were reported.
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, recreational
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,364 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2007
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E80 Belen NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,601 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.