LUDINGTON, MI, USA
N3278D
NORTH AMERICAN P-51D
N3278D WAS #1 (LEADER) IN A FLT OF 2 NORTH AMERICAN P-51 ACFT. THE PLT OF THE 2ND P-51 RPRTD THAT THEY WERE ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING OVER WATER ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE SHORE WHEN THE LEADER RAISED HIS NOSE & BEGAN ROLLING TO THE RIGHT. WITNESSES ON THE BEACH ESTIMATED THE ACFT'S ALT WAS BTN 50 & 200 FT BFR BEGINNING THE MANEUVER. RPRTDLY, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT CAME DOWN THRU THE HORIZON AS THE PLANE REACHED AN INVERTED POSITION, THEN THE ACFT ENTERED A DSCNT & THE DIRECTION CHANGED TO THE SOUTHEAST AS THE PLANE ROLLED TO A WINGS LVL ATTITUDE. BFR RECOVERING FROM THE DESCNT, THE ACFT HIT A SAND DUNE NEAR THE SHORE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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