North American SNJ-6 accident near Santa Rosa, California, September 26, 1982
On September 26, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a North American SNJ-6, registered N3579, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa, California (Sonoma County airport). It was a personal 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa, California · Sonoma County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-6 · all SNJ-6s on the register
- Registration
- N3579 · registry record · serial 51678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ENGINE QUIT AT 500 FEET AGL AFTER TAKEOFF. PILOT TURNED BACK BUT OVERSHOT FIELD.
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: 173 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,200 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: STS Santa Rosa CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: STS Santa Rosa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,115 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.