North American P-51D accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, July 29, 2008
On July 29, 2008 at about 10:25 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N551W, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Tulsa, Oklahoma (Richard Lloyd Jones JR 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2008 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Tulsa, Oklahoma · Richard Lloyd Jones JR · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American P-51D · all P-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N551W · registry record · serial 109-28618
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot began his takeoff roll on a maintenance test flight. During the ground roll and near rotation speed, the pilot moved his hand from the throttle to the gear handle. The pilot reported that the throttle friction lock was not properly set and the throttle experienced "throttle creep" reducing engine power. The pilot advanced the throttle, at which time the airplane became airborne and began to torque roll. An aborted takeoff was executed by the pilot and the airplane touched down off of the runway. The airplane came to rest after contacting the airfield perimeter fence. Substantial damage was sustained to the right wing and left horizontal stabilizer.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RVS Tulsa OK
- Destination: Tulsa OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19L, 4,208 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:24 pm from RVS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DFW08CA202.