North American SNJ-5 and North American SNJ-6 accident near Titusville, Florida, March 10, 1985
On March 10, 1985 at about 6:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, North American SNJ-5 (N9801C) and North American SNJ-6 (N58740), were involved in the same accident near Titusville, Florida (Titusville-Cocoa airport). No one was hurt; 3 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
- March 10, 1985 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Titusville-Cocoa · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- North American SNJ-5 · all SNJ-5s on the register
- Registration
- N9801C · registry record · serial 90669
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- North American SNJ-6 · all SNJ-6s on the register
- Registration
- N58740 · registry record · serial 112114
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the North American SNJ-5 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUP OF T-6 TYPE ACFT WERE TAKING OFF IN SECTIONS OF TWO ACFT EACH. EACH SECTION OF TWO WERE MAKING A FORMATION TAKEOFF WITH A 5 TO 6 SECOND INTERVAL BETWEEN SECTIONS. N58740 WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION OF THE 2ND SECTION; N9801C WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION OF THE 3RD SECTION. DURING TAKEOFF, AN ACFT IN THE 1ST SECTION HAD AN ENG PROBLEM & THE PLT ABORTED HIS TAKEOFF. HE MADE A RADIO CALL TO NOTIFY THE OTHER PLTS & THE PLTS OF THE 2ND SECTION ABORTED THEIR TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, THE PLT OF N9801C, WHO WAS LEADING THE 3RD SECTION DID NOT HEAR THE RADIO CALL. HIS ACFT HAD POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY WHILE THE TAIL WHEEL WAS ON THE GROUND; THEREFORE, HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE ACFT AHEAD WERE ABORTING UNTIL HE RAISED THE TAIL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. BY THEN, IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID A COLLISION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING OF N9801C STRUCK THE RUDDER & ELEVATORS OF N58740 & BOTH ACFT WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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 NTSB's narrative for the North American SNJ-6 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A GROUP OF T-6 TYPE ACFT WERE TAKING OFF IN SECTIONS OF TWO ACFT EACH. EACH SECTION OF TWO WERE MAKING A FORMATION TAKEOFF WITH A 5 TO 6 SECOND INTERVAL BETWEEN SECTIONS. N58740 WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION OF THE 2ND SECTION; N9801C WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION OF THE 3RD SECTION. DURING TAKEOFF, AN ACFT IN THE 1ST SECTION HAD AN ENG PROBLEM & THE PLT ABORTED HIS TAKEOFF. HE MADE A RADIO CALL TO NOTIFY THE OTHER PLTS & THE PLTS OF THE 2ND SECTION ABORTED THEIR TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, THE PLT OF N9801C, WHO WAS LEADING THE 3RD SECTION DID NOT HEAR THE RADIO CALL. HIS ACFT HAD POOR FORWARD VISIBILITY WHILE THE TAIL WHEEL WAS ON THE GROUND; THEREFORE, HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE ACFT AHEAD WERE ABORTING UNTIL HE RAISED THE TAIL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. BY THEN, IT WAS TOO LATE TO AVOID A COLLISION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING OF N9801C STRUCK THE RUDDER & ELEVATORS OF N58740 & BOTH ACFT WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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 for the North American SNJ-5 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 770 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1985; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIX at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from TIX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the North American SNJ-6 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,130 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIX at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
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.