Cessna 172L accident near Galveston, Texas, December 30, 1984
On December 30, 1984 at about 2:36 am local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N2823Q, was destroyed in an accident near Galveston, Texas (Scholes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1984 · about 2:36 am local time
- Place
- Galveston, Texas · Scholes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2823Q · no longer on the register · serial 17259823
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A RECENTLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WITH NO KNOWN INSTRUMENT TRAINING WAS GIVEN A 'VFR NOT RECOMMENDED' WEATHER BRIEFING FOR A RETURN TRIP ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE PREDICTED TO, AND DID, DETERIORATE RAPIDLY. HE TOOK OFF AND TURNED ON COURSE, ENCOUNTERED IMC AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE LEAVING THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP INVERTED DIVE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 18, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLS Galveston TX
- Destination: IWS Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 am from GLS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.