North American F-51D accident near Piedmont, Oklahoma, October 23, 1982
On October 23, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a North American F-51D, registered N11T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Piedmont, Oklahoma (Jack Richards airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Piedmont, Oklahoma · Jack Richards · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American F-51D · all F-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N11T · registry record · serial 4474425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG FAILED AT 5,500 FT MSL. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT A 5,000 FT DIRT STRIP (UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR PAVING), GEAR EXTENSION WAS DELAYED TO INCREASE GLIDE. THE RIGHT GEAR DID NOT HAVE TIME TO LOCK DOWN & RETRACTED DURING LANDING. INITIAL EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THERE WAS NO VALVE ACTION IN THE CYLINDERS WHEN THE ENG WAS ROTATED ALTHOUGH BOTH MAGNETOS OPERATED NORMALLY. DISASSEMBLY CONFIRMED THAT THE GEAR SHAFT, P/N 620078, WHICH OPERATES THE TWO ENG CAMSHAFTS HAD SHEARED.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,385 hours in all; 378 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 7,990 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 911 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Merlin V1650-9A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WPA Oklahoma City OK at 11:00 am
- Destination: WPA Oklahoma City OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.