North American P-51D accident near Minden, Nevada, December 7, 2005
On December 7, 2005 at about 5:30 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N251BP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2005 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe Airport · 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
- N251BP · registry record · serial 44-84756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane bent a wing after veering off the runway during landing. The pilot reported that after touchdown he lowered the tail to the runway and the airplane swerved. The pilot said he overcorrected and the airplane veered off the runway. The airplane bounced over the dirt next to the runway and came to rest on the taxiway.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 12,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce V-1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 5:00 pm
- Destination: MEV Minden NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX06CA047.