[flyby4553]

I have a similar problem in my (admittedly small) sample of $10+1 SNGs. I have finished in 5th about 17% of the time, 6th 13%. Roughly 1/3rd of my SNGs end in these two spots. My main thought is that these spots are where the bubble mentality (at least at the $11s) hasnt really kicked in, so people are more likely to call you. But at the same time the blinds are going up, so you are forced to play aggressively. Thus, you start to bust more. Survival plays a bigger role when you are down to 4 players, and so your aggression is much more sucessful at that point and you bust less.