North American SNJ-5C N98RJ

Summary

On 6 June 2026 at about 13:40 local time, a North American SNJ-5C registered N98RJ, operated by WAG Air LLC, was involved in an accident near Midland, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

6 June 2026 at 13:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Midland, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Warrenton-Fauquier (HWY)

Coordinates

38.5889, -77.7081

Aircraft

North American SNJ-5C

Registration

N98RJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1944

Engines

1

Operator

WAG Air LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Culpeper → Culpeper

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA26LA232

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On June 6, 2026, about 0940 eastern daylight time, a North American SNJ-5C, N98RJ was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Midland, Virginia. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot of the airplane departed from Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR), Culpepper, Virginia and joined a formation flight of 4 airplanes in position No. 3 to perform maneuvers for airshow practice. About 0940, while flying at 3,800 ft mean sea level (msl), 4 nautical miles northeast of Warrenton/Fauquier Airport (HWY), Warrenton, Virginia, the pilot reported that the airplane’s propeller separated and impacted the left wing. The pilot executed an emergency power off landing at HWY without further incident. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the leading edge of the left wing was substantially damaged from the left landing light to approximately 8 feet outboard of the light. The propeller, and a portion of the crankshaft that also separated from the engine, were not recovered. Ferrous metal debris were present on a magnetic chip detector in the engine, and ferrous and non-ferrous metal debris were present in the propeller oil feed pipe channel and sump. Metal particulate was also found in the oil filter and suction screen. The remaining end of the crankshaft displayed signatures consistent with tortional shear, with the propeller guide channels being slanted. The engine was retained for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.