19970824023349A

Engine quit on climbout. Stalled and spiral into ground. No cause for power loss found. (.19) on August 24, 1997, about 1126 eastern daylight time, a jurka P51D mustang, N151MS, collided with the ground shortly after takeoff at the Fort Pierce- st. Lucie county airport, Fort Pierce, Florida. The airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of title 14 CFR part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan was filed for the local, personal flight. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. A witness stated that the airplane took off from runway 32 and climbed to about 500 feet above ground level (AGL) and then the engine stopped. He said the airplane banked left in a nose-high attitude, and then nosed over, spiraling half a turn into the ground. (.4) according to a witness, the airplane took off from runway 32 and climbed to about 500 ft above the ground, then the engine lost power. Witnesses reported that the airplane banked left in a nose high attitude, then it nosed over and spiraled or plummeted to the ground. The engine was examined after the accident. After removi ng the spinner, propeller, vacuum pump, and fuel pump, all which were impact damaged, the engine rotated freely. Suction and thumb compression were confirmed for all cylinders. (-23) on August 24, 1997, at the Fort Pierce/st. Lucie county intl airport (fpr) at approximately 1126 eastern daylight time, a P51D mustang, N151MS, departed on runway 32 on a visual local flight. A witness reported watching the aircraft climb to 400 to 500 feet. He heard the engine sound diminish observed the aircraft pitch nose up, the left wing drop and then the aircraft rotated to the left one-half turn in a vertical nose down attitude striking the grass area between runway 32 and 27. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot suffered fatal injuries.