North American P-51D accident near New Haven, Michigan, November 17, 1984
On November 17, 1984 at about 6:53 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N51JL, was destroyed in an accident near New Haven, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 1984 · about 6:53 pm local time
- Place
- New Haven, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American P-51D · all P-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N51JL · no longer on the register · serial 44-73849A
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT, A NORTH AMERICAN P51D, CRASHED INTO A POTATO FIELD AFTER STRIKING AN ELECTRICAL WIRE RUNNING AT A RT ANGLE TO THE GROUND TRACK, STRUCK THE GROUND, A BUILDING & DISINTEGRATED. THE PLT & OWNER OF THE ACFT WAS A 50 YR OLD EX-NAVAL AVIATOR WITH CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE IN HIGH PERFORMANCE HEAVY ACFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT WAS PROPERLY CERTIFICATED & THE ACFT WAS PROPERLY CERTIFIED. AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED ON THE PLT, WHO WAS ALSO A PRACTICING PHYSICIAN, REVEALED ADVANCED ARTERIOSCLEROTIC HEART DISEASE & A HISTORY OF TREATMENT FOR HIGH BLOOD PREESURE. LASTLY, DURING THE PERIOD PRECEEDING THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT WAS EXPERIENCING STRESS FROM THE DEATH OF A GOOD FRIEND IN ANOTHER ACFT ACCIDENT & A RECENT ILLNESS OF HIS OWN.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,740 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 14, 1984; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,157 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard R.R. 1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI at 6:47 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.