Papa 51 LTD., CO. THUNDER MUSTANG accident near Marsing, Idaho, May 30, 1998
On May 30, 1998 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Papa 51 LTD., CO. THUNDER MUSTANG, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N151TM, was destroyed in an accident near Marsing, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1998 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Marsing, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Papa 51 LTD., CO. THUNDER MUSTANG THUNDER MU, amateur-built
- Registration
- N151TM · registry record · serial TMD-9607-001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was to demonstrate the airplane's performance envelope and flight characteristics to an individual who had recently invested in the company, that produces the kits for building this experimental aircraft. For the first five minutes of the flight, the Mustang flew in formation with an aircraft being flown by a company official, and then the Mustang demonstration pilot proceeded to an area south of Marsing, Idaho. The aircraft was observed performing a series of maneuvers in that area under a ceiling that was estimated at 2,000 to 2,500 feet AGL. Recorded electronic engine performance data indicated that the aircraft's throttle was retarded to idle about a minute and forty-five seconds prior to impact. Witnesses said that after they heard the power reduced, the aircraft climbed for awhile and then began to slow. As the aircraft's speed became 'very slow' its nose dropped and it lost a few hundred feet of altitude. After leveling off and slowing again, the aircraft's nose dropped a second time. Soon thereafter the aircraft rolled to the left and impacted the ground from an altitude that was estimated to be between 75 feet and '...two and one-half times the height of the nearby power line towers.' The recorded engine data showed that about five seconds before impact, the aircraft's throttle was pushed forward to about 72%, and the engine accelerated to almost 4,100 rpm. About one second before impact the throttle was retarded to idle.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1997; 1,390 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Falconer Eng. V-12 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S67 Nampa ID at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA98FA083.