# Accident 20131023019929A: North American P-51D, Galveston, TX, October 23, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 23, 2013, 11:23 local time - Place: Galveston, TX - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.1667° N, 95.1003° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1667&lon=-95.1003&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4151D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4151D) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: North American P-51D (registry code 6402319, https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-p-51d) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pkrd-Roll V1650 series (registry code 49001, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pkrd-roll-v1650-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN P-51D - Reported engine: PKRD-ROLL V1650 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 11,300 total, 70 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA015) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131023019929A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 10/23/2013 AN FAA FORM 8020-9 WAS RECEIVED BY THE HOUSTON FLIGHT STANDARDS DISTRICT OFFICE (FSDO) OF A SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT THAT CRASHED IN THE GALVESTON BAY. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS IDENTIFIED AS POSSIBLY BEING A NORTH AMERICAN P-51 MUSTANG. INSPECTORS WERE SENT TO THE SCENE. THE GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF MARINE DIVISION TRANSPORTED THE INSPECTORS TO THE CRASH SITE WHERE TWO BODIES HAD BEEN RECOVERED BY LOCAL FISHERMEN AND THEN TRANSPORTED BY THE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER TO SHORE. ONE OCCUPANT (LATER IDENTIFIED AS THE PERSON IN THE BACK SEAT) HAD SUSTAINED MUCH GREATER INJURIES THAN THE OTHER. THE INSPECTOR AND THE COUNTY SHERIFF CONDUCTED A SEARCH FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SECOND OCCUPANT AND ANY SIGNS OF WRECKAGE. THE SEARCH IDENTIFIED A DEBRIS PATTERN APPROXIMATELY 2,000 FEET X 800 FEET CENTERED AT COORDINATES 29.08.365 N 95.07.182 W IN SIX TO SEVEN FEET OF WATER. THIS WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEST END OF GALVESTON BAY NEAR CHOCOLATE BAY AND SAN LUIS PASS. ON 10/24/2013 EXAMINATION OF THE PARACHUTES AND PART OF THE REAR SEAT WERE EXAMINED AT THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICE. THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS REPORT HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET. THE PILOT HAD A PROPERLY ATTACHED AND ADJUSTED PARACHUTE HARNESS THE PARACHUTE CANOPY WAS DEPLOYED AND THE CANOPY AND SUSPENSION LINES WERE ENTANGLED AROUND HIM WHEN RECOVERED IN THE WATER. THE PASSENGER HAD THE PARACHUTE HARNESS PROPERLY ATTACHED AND ADJUSTED. THE REAR SEAT BOTTOM AND PARTS OF THE REAR SEAT SIDE RAILS WERE STILL SURROUNDING TO THE PASSENGER THE PARACHUTE CANOPY WAS DEPLOYED AND THE CANOPY AND SUSPENSION LINES WERE ENTANGLED AROUND HIM WHEN RECOVERED IN THE WATER.. THE PARACHUTE SUSPENSION LINES WERE CUT AT THE RISERS AND THE SUSPENSION LINES AND CANOPIES WERE SEPARATED. THE REAR SEAT RAILS AND SEAT PAN WERE BADLY DAMAGES AND SHOWED TEARING AND SHEAR FORCES AT THE SEAT HARNESS ATTACHING POINTS, AND THE AIRCRAFT MOUNTING POINTS. THE REAR SEAT BELT WAS STILL PROPERLY BUCKLED AND SECURED, ALTHOUGH THE ENDS WERE NOT ATTACHED TO THE SEAT PAN OR SEAT RAILS. THE RIP CORD HANDLE AND CABLE WERE MISSING FROM BOTH PARACHUTE HARNESSES. ON 10/28/2013 AND 10/29/2013, T & T MARINE SALVAGE WAS ON SCENE RECOVERING THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE. THE ONLY LARGE PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND WERE: THE PROPELLER HUB WITH ALL FOUR BLADES STILL ATTACHED BUT WITHOUT THE SPINNER; THE RIGHT WING FROM THE MAIN LANDING GEAR OUTBOARD TO THE TIP OF THE WING, CONTAINING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BUT MISSING THE WING FLAP; THE LEFT WING FROM THE POINT WHERE THE RIGHT WING WAS TORN OFF TO APPROXIMATE 2/3RD DISTANCE TO THE TIP OF WING CONTAINING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR BUT MISSING THE LEADING EDGE AND THE WING FLAP; THE MAIN PORTION OF THE EMPENNAGE WITH APPROXIMATELY 1 FOOT OF EACH OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS AND 2 FEET OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER ATTACHED AND MISSING THE RUDDER AND ELEVATORS. CONDITION OF THE WRECKAGE RECOVERED FROM THE CRASH APPEAR TO SUGGEST THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER AT A LOW ANGLE AND A VERY HIGH SPEED (LESS THAT 15 DEGREES ANGLE AND AIRSPEED IN EXCESS OF 300 KNOTS) ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB CEN14LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA015), Oct 23, 2013: North American P 51D (N4151D), Galveston, TX, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of situational awareness while instructing the passenger, which resulted in the controlled flight of the airplane into the water. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.