DENTON, TX, USA
N51VP
NORTH AMERICAN F-51
THE PILOT TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY AND PERFORMED A NORMAL PRE-TAKEOFF RUN UP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VIEWED BY NUMEROUS PILOTS TO DEPART TO THE SOUTH AND MAKE A NORMAL RIGHT CLIMBING TURN. DURING THE CLIMB TO THE SOUTHWEST, THE WITNESSES HEARD THE ENGINE SURGE AND STOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN TO LEVEL AND DESCEND AS IT CONTINUED THE RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. IT WAS OBSERVED TO STALL AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL PRIOR TO IMPACTING INTO THE OPEN FIELD ADJACENT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HAD NOT SUMPED THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE AIRCRAFT PRE-FLIGHT. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND POWERPLANT DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO DETECT WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM DURING THE PREFLIGHT WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTED IN A LOSS OF POWER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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