North American P-51-D accident near Galveston, Texas, January 24, 1990
On January 24, 1990 at about 6:40 pm local time, a North American P-51-D, registered N5483V, was destroyed in an accident near Galveston, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING. ONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND THE RESULTANT LOW FUEL STATE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1990 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Galveston, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- North American P-51-D · all P-51-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5483V · registry record · serial 4473518N
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT ARRIVED IN THE AREA OF HIS DESTINATION TO FIND THE WEATHER BELOW MINIMUMS. HE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT IN THE AREA AND ATTEMPTED TWO APPROACHES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO BREAK OUT DUE TO THE WEATHER. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME WAS 100 FOOT CEILING WITH .1 MILE VISIBILITY IN HAZE AND FOG. AFTER THE SECOND MISSED APPROACH, THE PILOT ADVISED ATC THAT HE WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL AND DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO EXECUTE A THIRD APPROACH OR DIVERT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT. HE SUBSEQUENTLY ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE IN THE NEARBY GULF OF MEXICO. THE PILOT DEPARTED FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA WITHOUT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING AND DID NOT OBTAIN ANY WEATHER INFORMATION EN ROUTE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Packard V-1650-9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.