- Date
- February 4, 1989, 15:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Tracy, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N51KWar Replicas P-51
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890204001999A
- Case key
- 26160
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The improper installation of the aileron controls of this homebuilt acft by the pilot/manufacturer which led to the inflight loss of control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inexperience in the airplane.
Analysis
During a local test flight, the pilot lost control of the half-scale P-51 airplane while turning from downwind to base. The airplane collided with the terrain short of the runway. Inspection of the airplane revealed that the aileron control bellcrank was not installed in accordance with records held by the pilot/manufacturer. Witnesses reported seeing both ailerons and the wings fluttering before the crash. Evidence indicated aileron overtravel. The cockpit control stick was not equipped with control travel stops.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51K
- Reported as
- War Replicas P-51
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 9
- Engine
- Honda 1829CC, 104 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Peter M. Nieber
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 036 · Tracy, CA
- Airport
- 036 · Tracy, runway 29, 3,680 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 622 total · 9 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.