North American F-51 N51VP

Summary

On 6 September 1989 at about 21:24 local time, a North American F-51 registered N51VP, operated by Vernon Peterson, was involved in an accident near Denton, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 1989 at 21:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Denton, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Denton Municipal (DTO)

Coordinates

33.2094, -97.1306

Aircraft

North American F-51

Registration

N51VP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Vernon Peterson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89DPA04

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DETECT WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE PREFLIGHT WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AND PERFORMED A NORMAL PRE-TAKEOFF RUN UP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VIEWED BY NUMEROUS PILOTS TO DEPART TO THE SOUTH AND MAKE A NORMAL RIGHT CLIMBING TURN. DURING THE CLIMB TO THE SOUTHWEST, THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SURGE AND STOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO LEVEL AND DESCEND AS IT CONTINUED THE RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. IT WAS OBSERVED TO STALL AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL PRIOR TO IMPACTING INTO THE OPEN FIELD ADJACENT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD NOT SUMPED THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE AIRCRAFT PRE-FLIGHT. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND POWERPLANT DURING THE INVESTIGATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.