North American F-51D N51KF

Summary

On 2 July 1995 at about 18:45 local time, a North American F-51D registered N51KF, operated by George M. Kreiger, was involved in an accident near Malone, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 1995 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Malone, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Malone-Dufort (MAL)

Coordinates

44.8396, -74.2904

Aircraft

North American F-51D

Registration

N51KF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

George M. Kreiger

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC95LA138

1 person died.

the pilot's improper use of the flight controls, which resulted in an accelerated stall, an in-flight loss of control, and an uncontrolled descent to the ground. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's decision to fly the airplane in an airshow environment without completing an entire checkout program.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE F-51 WAS THE LEAD AIRPLANE OF A FLIGHT OF TWO AT AN AIRSHOW. AFTER COMPLETING A PASS OVER THE RUNWAY, THE TWO AIRPLANES SEPARATED, AND THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ENTERED A 90 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE TURN, THE NOSE DROPPED, AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED WHILE IN A RIGHT ROTATION, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. A VIDEO TAPE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REVIEWED BY PERSONNEL OF THE COMPANY, WHO TRAINED THE PILOT IN THE F-51. THEY REPORTED THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE CONSISTENT WITH AN ACCELERATED STALL AND LACK OF RECOVERY BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. ADDITIONALLY, THEY REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT COMPLETED A CHECKOUT IN THE F-51, THOUGH HE HAD AN ESTIMATED 150 HOURS IN THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE HELD ABOUT TWICE THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF FUEL. IT HAD BEEN FUELED TO CAPACITY BEFORE DEPARTURE, WHICH RESULTED IN A HIGHER THAN NORMAL GROSS WEIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.