Unknown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carbondale, Colorado 81623
Sunday, July 15, 1984 9:43 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS PERFORMING AEROBATIC MANEUVERS IN A P-51D THAT HAD BEEN MODIFIED FOR RACING & EXHIBITION. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THAT THE ACFT HAD JUST COMPLETED SEVERAL AEROBATIC MANEUVERS BEFORE IT BEGAN A VERTICAL CLIMB. THE CLIMB WAS TERMINATED AT ABOUT 3000 FT, THEN THE ACFT WENT INTO A NOSE DOWN SPIN. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SPIN UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE PLT HANDBOOK STATES THAT POWER OFF SPINS ARE PERMITTED WHEN STARTED ABOVE 12,000 FT, BUT POWER ON SPINS & SNAP ROLLS ARE PROHIBITED. STALLS ARE COMPARATIVELY MILD & THE ACFT HAS VERY LITTLE TENDENCY TO DROP INTO A SPIN. DURING RECOVERY FROM POWER OFF SPINS, THE ACFT NORMALLY STOPS SPINNING IN 1 TO 1-1/4 TURNS AFTER RECOVERY CONTROLS ARE APPLIED. POWER ON SPINS REQUIRE AS MANY AS 5 TO 6 TURNS & 9000 TO 10,000 FT TO RECOVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 943
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CARBONDALE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81623
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport UNKNOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 845 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7793
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8783
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3145
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27117
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5449V
NTSB Number DEN84FA222
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model P-51D
Aircraft Series Identifier P-51D
Aircraft Serial Number 44-73196N
Certified Max Gross Weight 10500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DONALD C. DAVIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 152 N. DIRBIN, SUITE 435
Aircraft Owner City CASPER
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EARL KETCHEN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3188S WILLOW ST
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80231
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ASE
Departure City ASPEN
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 933
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --