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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An improperly adjusted carburetor which resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1996 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palm City, Florida · Naked Lady Ranch · 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 · no longer on the register · 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 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL96LA046.