Beech C24R accident near Galveston, Texas, March 22, 1985
On March 22, 1985 at about 3:19 am local time, a Beech C24R, registered N2011M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Galveston, Texas (Choles airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- March 22, 1985 · about 3:19 am local time
- Place
- Galveston, Texas · Choles
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2011M · registry record · serial MC-601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE TIME OF THE POWER LOSS THE ACFT WAS IN THE INITIAL CLIMB FOLLOWING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. THE FLT DEPARTED FROM HOBBY AIRPORT, HOUSTON, TX, AT 2018 CST AND COMPLETED TWO IFR PRACTICE APCHS PRIOR TO THE TOUCH AND GO. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FEW OUNCES OF FUEL DRAINABLE FROM THE RIGHT TANK AND APRX 12 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK. THE ENGINE, FUEL INJECTOR ASS'Y AND FUEL FLOW DIVIDER WERE DISASSEMBLED AND/OR TESTED REVEALING NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. REVIEW OF THE OPERATOR'S RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAGES HAD BEEN INOPERATIVE FOR APRX 3 MONTHS. THE ACFT WAS LAST FUELED ON O2-17-85 AND HAD FLOWN APRX 2/7 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT BEGAN. PRIOR TO RECOVERY OF THE WRECKAGE THE FUEL INJECTOR LINES WERE LOOSENED AND FOUND DRY. TOTAL USABLE FUEL CAPACITY WAS 57.2 GALLONS. EXACT FUEL QUANTITY AFTER FUELING ON 2-17-85 IS UNKNOWN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,780 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 2,039 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,868 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 9, 1985; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alvin Aero Club INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houyston TX at 2:18 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:23 am from GLS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
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.