North American P51D accident near Ashfork, Arizona, April 3, 1987
On April 3, 1987 at about 4:00 pm local time, a North American P51D, registered N1451D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashfork, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 3, 1987 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ashfork, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American P51D · all P51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N1451D · registry record · serial 44-74446-A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NORTH AMERICAN P-51D EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AFTER CRUISING AT 10,000 FEET MSL FOR 45 MINUTES. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH SOME TREES PRIOR TO COMING TO REST IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED PRIOR TO THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RPM READ ZERO EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS WINDMILLING. TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A FAILED BEARING ON THE VERTICAL ACCESSORY DRIVE SHAFT. THE FAILURE ALLOWED THE SHAFT TO SHIFT UPWARDS DISENGAGING THE GEARS. THE VERTICAL SHAFT DRIVES THE MAJORITY OF THE ACCESSORIES (MAGS,PUMPS,TACH,ETC.).
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,880 hours in all; 551 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 1,608 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,788 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard V 1650 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N1451D 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.