North American P-51D accident near Ludington, Michigan, June 26, 1987
On June 26, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N3278D, was destroyed in an accident near Ludington, 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
- June 26, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ludington, 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
- N3278D · no longer on the register · serial 44-73216
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3278D WAS #1 (LEADER) IN A FLT OF 2 NORTH AMERICAN P-51 ACFT. THE PLT OF THE 2ND P-51 RPRTD THAT THEY WERE ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING OVER WATER ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE SHORE WHEN THE LEADER RAISED HIS NOSE & BEGAN ROLLING TO THE RIGHT. WITNESSES ON THE BEACH ESTIMATED THE ACFT'S ALT WAS BTN 50 & 200 FT BFR BEGINNING THE MANEUVER. RPRTDLY, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME DOWN THRU THE HORIZON AS THE PLANE REACHED AN INVERTED POSITION, THEN THE ACFT ENTERED A DSCNT & THE DIRECTION CHANGED TO THE SOUTHEAST AS THE PLANE ROLLED TO A WINGS LVL ATTITUDE. BFR RECOVERING FROM THE DESCNT, THE ACFT HIT A SAND DUNE NEAR THE SHORE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND.
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
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1987; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard R.R. V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TVC Traverse City MI at 8:45 pm
- Destination: LUD Ludington MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from TVC, 51 miles away
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.