North American SNJ-5 accident near Leadville, Colorado, September 5, 2008
On September 5, 2008 at about 4:30 pm local time, a North American SNJ-5, registered N9813C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Leadville, Colorado (Lake County Airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2008 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · Lake County Airport · 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
- N9813C · registry record · serial 84995
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the preflight inspection was performed and an engine run-up was "completely successful" on the supercharged engine. He advanced the throttle to "full power," noted 2,050 rpm and 20 inches (expecting 2,200 rpm and 32 inches) and released the brakes for the ground roll. After an 800-foot ground roll, the pilot noted 55 miles per hour, 2,100 rpm, and 28 inches. The airplane drifted to the right and the pilot attempted to correct with the application of left rudder and aileron control. The airplane became airborne and the left wing contacted the ground. The airplane settled back to the ground and headed towards the left side of the runway, at which time the pilot elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane became airborne one additional time, departed the runway environment to the left, and impacted several trees, resulting in substantial damage. Density altitude at the time of the accident was estimated to be 11,570 feet. An examination of the airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
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 control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,664 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 169 in the last 90 days; 94 in the last 30 days; 1,016 as pilot in command; 458 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 193 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 1, 1997
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO at 4:30 pm
- Destination: LXV Leadville CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 6,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from LXV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N9813C 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 DEN08CA154.