- Date
- September 2, 1989, 17:45 local (Sep 3, 1989, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Mar Vista, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N51MRNorth American P51D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890902033449A
- Case key
- 26245
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 pilot's poor in-flight planning in attempting to immediately return to the airport and not following established procedures after the loss of power after takeoff. The failure of an intake valve was a factor in the accident.
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.
Analysis
The engine's number 5 intake valve seat backed out of the head immediately after takeoff, resulting in the loss of power of 3 cylinders. The pilot entered a turn to return to the runway. The aircraft stalled and collided with a residence. The aircraft flight manual recommended a straight ahead flight path in the event of a power loss. The remaining 9 cylinders were producing sufficient power to enable the aircraft to slowly climb on a straight ahead flight path.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51MR
- Reported as
- North American P51D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 44-73163
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce V-1650-7, 1,490 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jackson Mcgoon Acft Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Limited (Special)
- Departed
- SMO
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 2,300 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- SMO, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.