North American P-51D accident near Palm City, Florida, February 12, 1996
On February 12, 1996 at about 9:00 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N551MR, was destroyed in an accident near Palm City, Florida (Naked Lady Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An improperly adjusted carburetor which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1996 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 1996
- Place
- Palm City, Florida · Naked Lady Ranch · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American P-51D · all P-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N551MR · not in the FAA's current or past register files · serial 44-7483
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On final approach, the pilot advanced the throttle, with no response from the engine. The pilot stated that the engine had quit, and he attempted an unsuccessful restart. To avoid a stand of trees the pilot maneuvered through a yard. The aircraft struck an oak tree, came to rest on the approach end of runway 36, and burned. The engine examination revealed that the carburetor idle setting was improperly adjusted which would have resulted in depleting the fuel in the carburetor, a delayed response to throttle movement from the idle position, and loss of engine power.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1995; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FD04 Ocala FL at 8:10 pm
- Destination: 64X FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,200 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PBI, 35 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- North American P-51 Mustang 60 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Packard V-1650-7 87 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Leeward Air Ranch Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 984 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,704 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL96LA046.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.