North American F-51 accident near Denton, Texas, September 6, 1989
On September 6, 1989 at about 9:24 pm local time, a North American F-51, registered N51VP, was destroyed in an accident near Denton, Texas (Denton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DETECT WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE PREFLIGHT WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1989 · about 9:24 pm local time · cases in 1989
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American F-51 · all F-51s on the register
- Registration
- N51VP · no longer on the register · serial 44-73142
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AND PERFORMED A NORMAL PRE-TAKEOFF RUN UP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VIEWED BY NUMEROUS PILOTS TO DEPART TO THE SOUTH AND MAKE A NORMAL RIGHT CLIMBING TURN. DURING THE CLIMB TO THE SOUTHWEST, THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SURGE AND STOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO LEVEL AND DESCEND AS IT CONTINUED THE RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. IT WAS OBSERVED TO STALL AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL PRIOR TO IMPACTING INTO THE OPEN FIELD ADJACENT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD NOT SUMPED THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE AIRCRAFT PRE-FLIGHT. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND POWERPLANT DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 20,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 14,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V-1650-9A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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
- N51VP: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- 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 V-1650-9A 54 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Denton Enterprise Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW89DPA04.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.