Amateur-built S-51D accident near Port St. Lucie, Florida, February 26, 2002
On February 26, 2002 at about 9:06 pm local time, a amateur-built S-51D, registered N51KK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port St. Lucie, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering in an attempt to return to landing area (Emergency/ departure airport.) This resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. Factor to the accident was a partial loss of engine power due to a failed exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2002 · about 9:06 pm local time
- Place
- Port St. Lucie, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-51D
- Registration
- N51KK · registry record · serial 122
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was observed on the takeoff roll by several witnesses. The engine was heard making a sound described as similar to a pop, slight burp, stumbling engine, slight miss, or a sound similar to dropping a cylinder like a belch. The tail wheel was observed to come off the ground and the engine was heard to make a missing sound and then smoothed out. The airplane became airborne and was observed to initiate a right turn followed by a steep turn back to the left estimated at about a 45-degree angle of bank. Both wing tips were visible to the witnesses. The airplane was at about 200 to 250 feet when it appeared to encounter a stall. It looked like the pilot initiated a recovery. The nose came up and the wings started to level. The airplane disappeared from view behind some tress and was heard to impact the terrain. Examination of the engine assembly revealed a hole in the vicinity of the No. 7 cylinder. The rocker cover was removed and the rocker arm for the exhaust valve was lying at an angle. The stud for the rocker arm was broken. A valve rocker retaining nut found at the crash site matched the broken end of the stud.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,300 hours in all; 136 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Chevrolet HO-502 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FL37 Port St. Lucie FL at 9:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:32 pm from FPR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.