Beech A23-24 accident near Tomball, Texas, August 21, 1991
On August 21, 1991 at about 7:22 pm local time, a Beech A23-24, registered N3673Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tomball, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AT THE PILOT'S DISPOSAL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1991 · about 7:22 pm local time
- Place
- Tomball, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-24 · all A23-24s on the register
- Registration
- N3673Q · no longer on the register · serial MA-264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CFI AND HIS RATED STUDENT WERE DEPARTING THEIR HOME BASE ON A LOCAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING AND AIRCRAFT FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT. AFTER LEVELING AT 1500 FEET, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, LOST POWER. THE CFI TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR AN ENGINE RESTART, WHILE SEARCHING FOR A SUITABLE FIELD FOR A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRPLANE FLEW UNDER POWER LINES, TOUCHED DOWN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, WENT THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE, COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, AND CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN PASTURE. ON SITE INVESTIGATION AND A LIMITED TEARDOWN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE CONFIRMED THAT THE LOSS OF POWER WAS NOT DUE TO INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THE NATURE OR CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED OR DUPLICATED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,012 hours in all; 232 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 929 as pilot in command; 662 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 10, 1991; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Tomball TX at 7:10 pm
- Destination: CXO Conroe TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.