North American SNJ-5 N11HP

Summary

On 22 September 2007 at about 21:30 local time, a North American SNJ-5 registered N11HP was involved in an accident near Bloomington, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 2007 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bloomington, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Central Illinois Regional (BMI)

Coordinates

40.4772, -88.9161

Aircraft

North American SNJ-5

Registration

N11HP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bloomington → Aurora

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI07CA303

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff roll which resulted in a ground loop.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane ground looped during the takeoff roll. The pilot reported that the airplane started to veer to the left as he increased engine power for the takeoff roll on runway 11 (6,525 feet by 150 feet, concrete). The pilot reduced engine power to idle as the airplane departed off the left side of the runway. The right wingtip, tip rib, and aileron were damaged during the ground loop. The pilot reported that his rapid advance of engine power and inadequate use of up-elevator (backstick) contributed to the tail becoming prematurely airborne and the subsequent loss of directional control. The winds were reported to be variable at 5 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.