North American P-51D accident near Reno, Nevada, September 18, 1982
On September 18, 1982 at about 10:30 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N151DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Stead Afb airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
- September 18, 1982 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Stead Afb
- 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
- N151DM · registry record · serial 4413250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE FAILED & CAUGHT FIRE DURING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES. THE PLT STATED HE WAS PRE-OCCUPIED TRYING TOPUT OUT THE ENGINE FIRE & TURNED BASE TOO LATE. THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY ON A POORLY GRADED ROAD & THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 530 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,450 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls Royce 1650-7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4SD Reno NV at 3:25 pm
- Destination: 4SD Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 8,080 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from RNO, 15 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.
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.