North American P-51D accident near Carbondale, Colorado, July 15, 1984
On July 15, 1984 at about 3:43 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N5449V, was destroyed in an accident near Carbondale, Colorado (Unknown airport). 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1984 · about 3:43 pm local time · cases in 1984
- Place
- Carbondale, Colorado · Unknown · 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
- N5449V · registry record · serial 44-73196N
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN A P-51D THAT HAD BEEN MODIFIED FOR RACING & EXHIBITION. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THAT THE ACFT HAD JUST COMPLETED SEVERAL AEROBATIC MANEUVERS BEFORE IT BEGAN A VERTICAL CLIMB. THE CLIMB WAS TERMINATED AT ABOUT 3000 FT, THEN THE ACFT WENT INTO A NOSE DOWN SPIN. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SPIN UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE PLT HANDBOOK STATES THAT POWER OFF SPINS ARE PERMITTED WHEN STARTED ABOVE 12,000 FT, BUT POWER ON SPINS & SNAP ROLLS ARE PROHIBITED. STALLS ARE COMPARATIVELY MILD & THE ACFT HAS VERY LITTLE TENDENCY TO DROP INTO A SPIN. DURING RECOVERY FROM POWER OFF SPINS, THE ACFT NORMALLY STOPS SPINNING IN 1 TO 1-1/4 TURNS AFTER RECOVERY CONTROLS ARE APPLIED. POWER ON SPINS REQUIRE AS MANY AS 5 TO 6 TURNS & 9000 TO 10,000 FT TO RECOVER.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,251 hours in all; 197 in this make and model; 157 in the last 90 days; 6,607 as pilot in command; 1,479 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 3:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from ASE, 21 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5449V on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- North American P-51 Mustang 60 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- North American 1,297 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Packard V-1650-7 87 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,485 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN84FA222.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.