‘Red Tail’ Mustang runway excursion

While trying to land after a 20 minutes local flight, North American P-51C 42-103645 ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ ended next to the runway at Tallahassee International airport (FL) on 4 November 2021. The early version of the Mustang, registered as N61429 (c/n 103-26199) is owned by the American Air Power Heritage Flying Museum of Dallas (TX). It carries ‘Red Tail’ squadron code ‘4A-2’.

During the runway excursion the main undercarriage port leg collapsed. But fortunately the damage to the WW II fighter seems to be moderate at first glance. One of the propellor tips is slightly bent, with hopefully not too much effect on the P-51s engine. If this is true, then returning the Mustang should be relatively simple.

Before its unfortunate flight, N61429 was on static display in Tallahassee as part of the travelling exhibit ‘The Rise Above’. This exhibit tells the inspiring story of the Afro-American pilots of the Tuskegee Airmen while being immersed in a theatrical experience.

The P-51C has some history of accidents: it had crashed on 29 May 2004 during an airshow at Red Wing (MN) During this crash pilot Don Hinz was killed. It was then restored by the Commemorative Air Force, making its first post restoration flight on 25 July 2009. Almost seven years later another accident: on 3 February 2016, the warbird made a wheels up landing at Dallas Executive Airport (TX).