MustangsMustangs
The North American P-51 Mustang
MustangsMustangs
P-51 Who?   Case # 158
44-72446     N12700     Closed
Solved by: Too many to list
P-51 Who 158
Case#: 158
Date: Feb 20 2002
By: Dick Phillips
Photo:
Status: Closed
Serial: 44-72446
Registry: N12700
P-51 Who? Viewer Responses
Chad Veich
02/26/2002 22:53
This appears to be the airplane in which Don Knapp lost his life some years back. I believe it came from South America and was called "El Gato Rapido" at one time.
William Yoak
02/27/2002 20:29
This Looks like the aircraft that was owned by the late Don Knapp. He was killed in his Mustang at Abilene Texas at an airshow in Late '89 or early '90 after stalling close to the ground.
Lynn Allen II
02/28/2002 21:51
This is the late Don Knapp's P-51 @ the used to be Best Airshow, Breckenridge, Texas. I think Dick probably took this one at the last Breckenridge show he attended. He was flying his Birdcaged Corsair then and I don't remember who flew the P-51 to the show. He was later unfortunately killed in it at a show in Abilene, Texas. Wish we still have them both around.
Tim Savage
03/03/2002 13:03
This looks like the one that crashed back '90 in Abilene at the hands of Don Knapp...
Mike Vadeboncoeur
03/03/2002 20:53
Don Knapps old 51? Also destroyed in stall spin accident..
Brad Pilgrim
03/06/2002 13:40
This is P-51D, 44-72446, N12700 owned, flown and crashed by Don Knapp. He stalled and crashed after a low pass at Dyess AFB airshow in Abilene, Texas on 23JUN90. He was killed. I am not sure what happened to the wreckage. This picture had to have been taken at Breckenridge, Texas. It was the memorial day airshow in 1990, one month before the crash. I have nearly the exact same picture.
tim harlow
02/21/2015 17:27
I was there at the airshow and saw Don when the mustang crashed and killed him. It was a horrible sight and to this day shakes me up, he was a dear friend of mine and Cookie his girlfriend had the mustang buried, such a tragic loss
Christopher Knapp
03/26/2015 22:43
Found a news paper on the incident.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19900624&id=2SYcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YVkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5651,4955056&hl=en
Mark Salazar
04/29/2022 15:23
I saw him crash near the trans alert area. I took a picture when he hit. It was out of focus. Out of respect for Mr. Knap's family I never showed it to anyone......bothers me to this day.
Case Closed!
P-51 Mustang

Send in Your Response
Name:
Email:
Enter "mustang" backwards:
Response:
   
Name and Response are shared with all readers. Email is private and never shared.