North American SNJ accident near Bessemer, Alabama, April 14, 2009
On April 14, 2009 at about 8:20 pm local time, a North American SNJ, registered N269WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bessemer, Alabama (Bessemer 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 aircraft control while landing with a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2009 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bessemer, Alabama · Bessemer 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 4
- Registration
- N269WB · registry record · serial 26992
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing on Runway 23, the airplane floated more than the pilot expected, and then bounced 2 feet above the runway. As the airplane bounced, it encountered a gust of wind from the west and the pilot attempted unsuccessfully to control the airplane with braking and rudder inputs. The airplane subsequently ground looped and departed the right side of the runway, impacting a tree with the left wing. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot or identified during the examination. The recorded wind about the time of the accident, at an airport 11 miles to the southeast, was from 310 degrees at 9 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,591 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2008; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFX Jasper AL
- Destination: EKY Bessemer AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,007 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from EET, 11 miles away
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 N269WB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.