North American P-51D accident near Chatham, Massachusetts, September 29, 1990
On September 29, 1990 at about 3:06 pm local time, a North American P-51D, registered N51U, was destroyed in an accident near Chatham, Massachusetts (Chatham Muni airport). 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCELERATED STALL AND LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1990 · about 3:06 pm local time
- Place
- Chatham, Massachusetts · Chatham Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American P-51D · all P-51Ds on the register
- Registration
- N51U · no longer on the register · serial 44-74204N
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE RETURNING FROM A LOCAL FLIGHT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE EXECUTE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY AND 'PULL UP ABRUPTLY AND BANK STEEPLY TO THE LEFT.' THE AIRPLANE THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND CONTINUED ALONG THE INITIAL FLIGHT PATH IN A WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. ACCORDING TO ONE WITNESS THE AIRPLANE 'APPEARED TO STALL' AND DESCEND BEHIND TREES NEAR THE RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECAKGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRE IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ENGINE.
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: 3,700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,710 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1990; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard V1650-9A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
Other NTSB records under N51U 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.