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20140704009319A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · North American/Aero Classics P-51D · Durango, CO · July 4, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 4, 2014 · 09:27 local
Place
Durango, CO
Airport
Durango-La Plata County
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1451D
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN14FA339
Reported as
North American/Aero Classics P-51D
Reported engine
Pkrd-Roll V1650 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
12,400 total
N1451DRegistered now · North American/Aero Classics P-51DS/N 44-74446A · Built 1944Airframe modelNorth American/Aero Classics P-51DEngine 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.

The instructor has limited experience in the P-51 aircraft. The owner recently sent the instructor to training on the P-51 in order to return and teach him how to fly the aircraft.

The owner has limited experience in flying based on receiving his private pilot license in September 2013. However, he was gaining experience using his T-6 aircraft. It is reported he had five flights in the P-51.

The P-51 was modified to make flight controls available to the pilot in the back, where the instructor would sit; however, no rudder pedals were installed or available to the pilot.

For takeoff the pilots hurried their departure to get out before another aircraft would land. They accelerated to a high speed at low level, an estimated 150 to 200 feet above ground level. After the instructor waived to his coworkers, the aircraft performed a maneuver that can be described as a pitch up and out maneuver while adding a significant amount of power. The aircraft rolled left and the nose pitched down. Aircraft struck the ground in a near 90 degree bank and a steep nose down attitude at a speed between 170 and 180 mph. Aircraft was destroyed on impact killing both occupants.

As the FAA filed it

THE INSTRUCTOR HAS LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN THE P-51 AIRCRAFT. THE OWNER RECENTLY SENT THE INSTRUCTOR TO TRAINING ON THE P-51 IN ORDER TO RETURN AND TEACH HIM HOW TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT.

THE OWNER HAS LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN FLYING BASED ON RECEIVING HIS PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE IN SEPTEMBER 2013. HOWEVER, HE WAS GAINING EXPERIENCE USING HIS T-6 AIRCRAFT. IT IS REPORTED HE HAD FIVE FLIGHTS IN THE P-51.

THE P-51 WAS MODIFIED TO MAKE FLIGHT CONTROLS AVAILABLE TO THE PILOT IN THE BACK, WHERE THE INSTRUCTOR WOULD SIT; HOWEVER, NO RUDDER PEDALS WERE INSTALLED OR AVAILABLE TO THE PILOT.

FOR TAKEOFF THE PILOTS HURRIED THEIR DEPARTURE TO GET OUT BEFORE ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WOULD LAND. THEY ACCELERATED TO A HIGH SPEED AT LOW LEVEL, AN ESTIMATED 150 TO 200 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR WAIVED TO HIS COWORKERS, THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMED A MANEUVER THAT CAN BE DESCRIBED AS A PITCH UP AND OUT MANEUVER WHILE ADDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT AND THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NEAR 90 DEGREE BANK AND A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT A SPEED BETWEEN 170 AND 180 MPH. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT KILLING BOTH OCCUPANTS.

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 CEN14FA339Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportDurango, COThe pilot's failure to compensate for the high-performance airplane's tendency to enter a torque roll during the initial climb, which resulted in the airplane entering a torque roll and the subsequent loss of control at too low of an altitude to recover.…Jul 4, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1451D · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19940404000289AForced/Precautionary Landing · Chino, CALost oil and oil mist in cockpit. Tried return. Crashed short. First flight of rebuild. Oil lines crossed. Came off.Apr 4, 1994 · Substantial damageAccident 19870903049019AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Ash Fork, AZLost power due to upper drive shaft bearing failure stopping camshaft operation. Landed gear up after hitting treesSep 3, 1987 · Substantial damageIncident 19820722039139IDescent · Chino, CAOn test flight after replacing rudder assembly and trim tab. Developed flutter. Trim tab separated. Landed safely.Jul 22, 1982 · Reported as Namer P51C · Minor damage