Cessna 150J accident near Crystal Beach, Texas, August 28, 1985
On August 28, 1985 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 150J, registered N5573G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal Beach, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- August 28, 1985 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal Beach, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150J · all 150Js on the register
- Registration
- N5573G · no longer on the register · serial 15071073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTEDLY WAS DELIVERING THE ACFT TO CRYSTAL BEACH, TX, FROM ITS HOME BASE AT ORANGE COUNTY AIRPORT, TX. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY CALL THE OWNER AND TOLD HIM HE HAD BENT THE ACFT UPON LANDING AT CRYSTAL BEACH. HE WAS TOLD BY THE OWNER TO WAIT AT THE ACFT AND HE (THE OWNER) WOULD BE RIGHT THERE. UPON HIS ARRIVAL, THE PLT COULD NOT BE FOUND AND HIS WHEREABOUTS IS UNKNOWN. THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONDITIONS SURROUNDING THE ACCIDENT ARE ALSO 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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 20R Orange TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.