Amateur-built P51 accident near Midland, Texas, March 28, 1987
On March 28, 1987 at about 9:20 pm local time, a amateur-built P51, registered N51JR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midland, Texas (Midland Regional 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).
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
- March 28, 1987 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built P51
- Registration
- N51JR · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT REPORTED PROP SURGING IN FLT. DURING LANDING ROLL THE PILOT LOST CONTROL, GROUNDLOOPED AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. INVESTIGATION COULD NOT REVEAL A REASON FOR THE PROP SURGING.
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; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 9,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 119 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 3, 1987; 1 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ford 351 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAF Midland TX at 9:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 13 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from MAF, 6 miles away
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 N51JR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.