North American F-51D accident near Round Lake, Illinois, December 29, 1994
On December 29, 1994 at about 7:56 pm local time, a North American F-51D, registered N51TK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Round Lake, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fuel starvation resulting from exhaustion of the fuel supply in the left tank. A factor related to the accident was insufficient altitude to switch fuel tanks and effect an engine restart.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 29, 1994 · about 7:56 pm local time · cases in 1994
- Place
- Round Lake, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- 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 NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 2,500 FEET WHEN 'THE ENGINE STOPPED ABRUPTLY.' HE WAS USING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK AND IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE RIGHT TANK POSITION. HE PLACED THE MIXTURE IN THE EMERGENCY RICH POSITION AND CHECKED THE BOOST PUMP AND MAGNETO SWITCHES ON. THE ENGINE DID NOT RECOVER AND HE CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FOREST PRESERVE. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND FUEL LINES WERE INTACT AND CONTAINED NO USABLE FUEL. THE ENGINE PERFORMED NORMALLY WHEN IT WAS OPERATED ON A TEST STAND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V1650-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWK Wheeling IL at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 V1650-9 54 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Chicago Executive · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Illinois 2,118 since 1982 · 251 in the last ten years
- Illinois 8,069 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/CHI95LA064.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.