Amateur-built P-51 accident near Tracy, California, February 4, 1989
On February 4, 1989 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built P-51, registered N51K, was destroyed in an accident near Tracy, California (Tracy airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE AILERON CONTROLS OF THIS HOMEBUILT ACFT BY THE PILOT/MANUFACTURER WHICH LED TO THE INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1989 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tracy, California · Tracy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built P-51
- Registration
- N51K · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL TEST FLIGHT, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HALF-SCALE P-51 AIRPLANE WHILE TURNING FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE AILERON CONTROL BELLCRANK WAS NOT INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECORDS HELD BY THE PILOT/MANUFACTURER. WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING BOTH AILERONS AND THE WINGS FLUTTERING BEFORE THE CRASH. EVIDENCE INDICATED AILERON OVERTRAVEL. THE COCKPIT CONTROL STICK WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH CONTROL TRAVEL STOPS.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 622 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Honda 1829CC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 036 Tracy CA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,680 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N51K 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.