What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 10, 2010 at approximately 1300MST, aircraft registration N514NH, a North American P-51-D, serial number 44-84850, departed the williams gateway airport (iwa) in mesa, AZ for Stellar Airpark (P19) in Chandler, AZ. At 1320 MST, N514NH performed a low pass over runway 17 at P19, entered a left banking climb, continued a left traffic downwind, and base to final for runway 17. Witnesses reported that all was normal with the flight except that the aircraft appeared to still be flaring when the wheels hit the runway. After contact with the runway the aircraft bounced and pitched nose up, which is characteristic of this type aircraft. Witness reports differ on how many times the aircraft bounced, but the reports all confirm that the aircraft bounced at least twice then banked left with the wings rotating back and forth, consistent with a stall condition. Reports also agree that substantial power was added as the aircraft departed the left side of the runway. The aircraft continued with the left wing tip contacting the ground along a taxiway parallel to, and left of, runway 17. The aircraft then collided with a masonry block wall topped with iron railings, resulting in a break-up of the aircraft. The aircraft tumbled and impacted a closed hangar door, penetrating half through. A post-accident fire ensued engulfing most of the fuselage, right wing, and powerplant.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 10, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 1300MST, AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION N514NH, A NORTH AMERICAN P-51-D, SERIAL NUMBER 44-84850, DEPARTED THE WILLIAMS GATEWAY AIRPORT (IWA) IN MESA, AZ FOR STELLAR AIRPARK (P19) IN CHANDLER, AZ. AT 1320 MST, N514NH PERFORMED A LOW PASS OVER RUNWAY 17 AT P19, ENTERED A LEFT BANKING CLIMB, CONTINUED A LEFT TRAFFIC DOWNWIND, AND BASE TO FINAL FOR RUNWAY 17. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT ALL WAS NORMAL WITH THE FLIGHT EXCEPT THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STILL BE FLARING WHEN THE WHEELS HIT THE RUNWAY. AFTER CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND PITCHED NOSE UP, WHICH IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS TYPE AIRCRAFT. WITNESS REPORTS DIFFER ON HOW MANY TIMES THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, BUT THE REPORTS ALL CONFIRM THAT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AT LEAST TWICE THEN BANKED LEFT WITH THE WINGS ROTATING BACK AND FORTH, CONSISTENT WITH A STALL CONDITION. REPORTS ALSO AGREE THAT SUBSTANTIAL POWER WAS ADDED AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED WITH THE LEFT WING TIP CONTACTING THE GROUND ALONG A TAXIWAY PARALLEL TO, AND LEFT OF, RUNWAY 17. THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A MASONRY BLOCK WALL TOPPED WITH IRON RAILINGS, RESULTING IN A BREAK-UP OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLED AND IMPACTED A CLOSED HANGAR DOOR, PENETRATING HALF THROUGH. A POST-ACCIDENT FIRE ENSUED ENGULFING MOST OF THE FUSELAGE, RIGHT WING, AND POWERPLANT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.