19970906025559A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Namer P-51D · Monroe, MI · September 6, 1997

Date: September 6, 1997 · 11:03 local
Place: Monroe, MI
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6345T
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA284
Reported as: Namer P51D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N6345TRegistration cancelled Sep 6, 2019 · North American/Aero Classics P-51DS/N 44-63507 · Built 1944 Airframe modelNorth American/Aero Classics P-51D Engine modelPkrd-Roll V1650 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot had contacted his mechanic to discuss a problem he was having with a leak in the cooling system. The pilot decided to return to willow run to repair the leak. The aircraft departed toledo express airport, toledo Ohio, enroute to willow run airport, 50 miles to the north. Witness saw the vapor trailing the aircraft when it was departing the airport area. Approximately 15 minutes later, the aircraft appeared to be making a forced landing to the south perpendicular to a state highway. The aircraft struck telephone wires and then struck the ground with the right wing first. The cockpit area was consumed in fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED HIS MECHANIC TO DISCUSS A PROBLEM HE WAS HAVING WITH A LEAK IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO WILLOW RUN TO REPAIR THE LEAK. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TOLEDO EXPRESS AIRPORT, TOLEDO OHIO, ENROUTE TO WILLOW RUN AIRPORT, 50 MILES TO THE NORTH. WITNESS SAW THE VAPOR TRAILING THE AIRCRAFT WHEN IT WAS DEPARTING THE AIRPORT AREA. APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES LATER, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE MAKING A FORCED LANDING TO THE SOUTH PERPENDICULAR TO A STATE HIGHWAY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TELEPHONE WIRES AND THEN STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE RIGHT WING FIRST. THE COCKPIT AREA WAS CONSUMED IN FIRE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA284Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportMonroe, MIthe pilot operating the airplane with a known coolant leak, coolant exhaustion, overheating of the engine, and subsequent failure of a connecting rod, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power; and failure of the pilot to see the powerline. The…Sep 6, 1997 · Destroyed