North American P-51D accident near Mayer, Minnesota, July 18, 1990
On July 18, 1990 at about 5:15 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N512ED, was destroyed in an accident near Mayer, Minnesota. 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
UNDETERMINED
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1990 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mayer, Minnesota · 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
- N512ED · no longer on the register · serial 51RJB
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE (ESTIMATED 60 TO 75 DEGREES) AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE, WITH SMOKE (OR VAPOR) TRAILING OFF THE RIGHT WING. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED IN SMALL PIECES ON A SOUTHWESTERLY HEADING OVER AN AREA ABOUT 25 YARDS WIDE AND 45 YARDS LONG. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR EVIDENCE OF PILOT INCAPACITATION WAS FOUND, THOUGH THERE WERE EXTENSIVE DECELLERATIVE FORCES DURING IMPACT. ALSO, AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 187 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1990; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FCM Eden Prairie MN at 5:00 pm
- Destination: FCM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from MSP, 28 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.