Cavalier F51D MUSTANG N251RM

Summary

On 21 December 2006 at about 22:55 local time, a Cavalier F51D MUSTANG registered N251RM, operated by John K. Bagley, was involved in an accident near Rexburg, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 December 2006 at 22:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Rexburg, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Rexbury-Madison County Airport (RXE)

Coordinates

43.8267, -111.8114

Aircraft

Cavalier F51D MUSTANG

Registration

N251RM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John K. Bagley

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rexburg → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07LA037

1 person had minor injuries.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight was being conducted as a maintenance test flight after an engine change. After a second touch-and-go, the engine quite at an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet agl, but then resumed operation. The pilot elected to make a tight traffic pattern in order to make it back to the runway, but after the engine quit a second time and restarted, the pilot realized that he wouldn't be able to make the runway and elected to land with the landing gear extended on a highway median. The aircraft impacted terrain with the left wing, subsequently cartwheeling before coming to rest inverted. No anomalies were reported with the airplane prior to the flight. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.