North American SNJ-5 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, February 23, 1996
On February 23, 1996 at about 4:35 pm local time, a North American SNJ-5, registered N4LH, was destroyed in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate altitude/clearance above the water, while performing a low level maneuver (wing over). The pilot's ostentatious display of aerobatic flight was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 1996 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-5 · all SNJ-5s on the register
- Registration
- N4LH · no longer on the register · serial 85047
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Several witnesses observed the airplane flying over water about 1 to 2 miles east of the coastline. The airplane was observed to dive towards a boat. It then pulled up and performed a maneuver described as a wing-over to the left. The airplane was observed to dive again. During the pull up, the tail section of the airplane collided with the water. Only portions of the airplane were recovered.
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: 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: 3,360 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 3,150 as pilot in command; 2,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,432 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1996; 59 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: F45 Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from PBI, 10 miles away
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.