North American F-51D accident near Elko, Nevada, September 11, 1982
On September 11, 1982 at about 5:01 pm local time, a North American F-51D, registered N51JW, was destroyed in an accident near Elko, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 11, 1982 · about 5:01 pm local time
- Place
- Elko, Nevada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American F-51D · all F-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N51JW · registry record · serial 45-11546
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FLEW DOWN THE LENGTH OF RWY 06 ABOUT 100 FT AGL, PULLED UP & DID AN 8-POINT ROLL WHILE CLIMBING. HE THEN FLEW DOWN RWY 12 & PULLED UP. AFTER A BRIEF CLIMB THE PLT BEGAN A SLOW ROLL TO THE LEFT. JUST AS THE ACFT BECAME INVERTED THE ROLL STOPPED & THE WINGS WAGGED ERRATICALLY WITH THE NOSE DROPPING TO NEARLY HORIZONTAL. THE NOSE WAS THEN PUSHED DOWN WITH THE PLANE STILL INVERTED. THE ACFT ACCELERATED THROUGH THE VERTICAL & SIMULTANEOUSLY BEGAN TO PULL UP & ROLL LEVEL PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 10,450 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard V-1650 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Carson City NV at 10:30 am
- Destination: Reno-Elko NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
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.