North American F-51D accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana, April 11, 1989
On April 11, 1989 at about 2:45 pm local time, a North American F-51D, registered N51TK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Wayne, Indiana (Fort Wayne Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE CROSSWIND TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PREMATURE LIFT OFF AND THE CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1989 · about 2:45 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Fort Wayne, Indiana · Fort Wayne Municipal · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American F-51D · all F-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N51TK · registry record · serial 44-63350
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 839 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,579 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 5B2 Saratoga Spring NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from FWA
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.
Other NTSB records under N51TK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N51TK on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American F-51 54 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V-1650-7 54 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fort Wayne International · nearest airport
- Saratoga County · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,702 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N51TK 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI89DET03.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.