Accident Overview
On October 23, 2013, at approximately 1130 central daylight time, a North American P-51D aircraft, registration N4151D, struck the waters of Galveston Bay near Galveston, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and a passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The aircraft was registered to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and operated by the Lone Star Flight Museum under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Flight and Communications
Radio communications with air traffic control (ATC) were routine. Shortly after takeoff from Scholes International Airport (KGLS) at about 1120, the tower controller asked if the pilot wanted to contact Houston Center after leaving the tower's airspace or remain on tower frequency. The pilot replied they would be airborne for 25–30 minutes and would stay on tower frequency. No further communications occurred.
Witness and Radar Data
A witness on a fishing boat reported hearing the airplane overhead heading south. The aircraft then made a slow turn north. The witness described the airplane descending at high speed with the engine at full throttle and wings level before impact. Radar data showed the airplane departing KGLS, climbing to 3,500 feet, then descending to 2,800 feet at about 200 knots before radar contact ended. The accident site was about 13 miles southwest of KGLS in shallow water between West Bay and Chocolate Bay. Winds were light.
Wreckage and Video Recovery
The airplane fragmented on impact. The engine, propeller, both wings, fuselage pieces, and most of the empennage were recovered; the rest was not. The aircraft carried an onboard video recording system with two cameras and audio. One fish-eye camera in the vertical stabilizer captured a forward view showing the cockpit canopy and surroundings. The cockpit camera recorded the rear seat occupant. The video recording unit and SD card were located in the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory.
Video Analysis
A video file from the SD card documented the accident flight. A group from the NTSB, FAA, and operator reviewed the footage. The video showed departure and flight over the bay, along with conversation between pilot, ATC, and passenger. After leveling off, the pilot demonstrated turns and asked the passenger if he wanted to fly. The passenger, not a pilot, agreed. With the passenger on controls, the pilot explained turns. At one point, the airplane banked steeply right to about 90 degrees with the nose dropping. The pilot advised applying back pressure to prevent loss of lift. The aircraft then rolled wings level, and the pilot encouraged the passenger to pull back on the stick. The video showed a descent toward the water. Neither person acknowledged impending collision. The water surface appeared smooth and glass-like. The video did not capture the actual impact due to a recording delay and power interruption.