Galveston media is reporting a Mexican Navy aircraft has crashed into West Galveston Bay on approach to Scholes Field. According to reports this was a medical mission.

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Several people were killed Monday afternoon when a Mexican military medical aircraft carrying eight people crashed into West Galveston Bay as it approached Scholes International Airport in heavy fog, triggering a large-scale, multi-agency search and rescue response west of the Galveston Causeway.

https://www.galvnews.com/news/several-dead-after-airplane-crashes-into-galveston-bay/article_9907faf1-19fa-504b-a31c-0c5310e1eca5.html

https://abc13.com/post/multiple-agencies-respond-reports-plane-down-water-galveston/18307312/

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This time of the year fog around the bay is often '0' visibility prompting closure of the Port of Galveston, Port of Texas City and the ship channel. Wonder if the prudent method would have been diverting to Hobby or to Elington?

laavispa said:

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Galveston media is reporting a Mexican Navy aircraft has crashed into West Galveston Bay on approach to Scholes Field. According to reports this was a medical mission.

Quote:

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Several people were killed Monday afternoon when a Mexican military medical aircraft carrying eight people crashed into West Galveston Bay as it approached Scholes International Airport in heavy fog, triggering a large-scale, multi-agency search and rescue response west of the Galveston Causeway.

https://www.galvnews.com/news/several-dead-after-airplane-crashes-into-galveston-bay/article_9907faf1-19fa-504b-a31c-0c5310e1eca5.html

https://abc13.com/post/multiple-agencies-respond-reports-plane-down-water-galveston/18307312/

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This time of the year fog around the bay is often '0' visibility prompting closure of the Port of Galveston, Port of Texas City and the ship channel. Wonder if the prudent method would have been diverting to Hobby or to Elington?

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You are undoubtedly correct. If you have to close to shipping, the fog is definitely too great for sensible flying.

News reports said the plane was carrying a child burn victim.

Have to agree with you there. A number of years ago we were on a Princess cruse returning to Bayport and got fog bound in Boliver Roads. CG had closed channel to traffic wasn't no one moving.

You know that portion of Galveston Bay on the airport approach was nicknamed 'crash boat basin' for a reason.

Does the Mexican air force have boats?

Duffel Pud said:

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Does the Mexican air force have boats?

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Dunno, but the US Army has boats and planes. Not unheard of.

Duffel Pud said:

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Does the Mexican air force have boats?

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What are you talking about. This happened in Galveston

US Coast guard responded immediately and professionally.

They were transporting a burn victim. Mexican Navy on behalf of Michou y Mau Foundation. Below from AI.

The Michou y Mau Foundation (Fundacin Michou y Mau) is a Mexican non-profit dedicated to helping children with severe burn injuries by providing urgent, specialized medical care, often transporting them to Shriners Children's Texas for treatment, founded by Virginia Sendel after losing her daughter Michou and grandson Mau to burns, and has saved thousands of children by funding critical airlifts and treatment. Recently, the foundation gained tragic attention when a Mexican Navy plane crashed near Galveston while on a medical transport mission with them.


Key Aspects:
Mission: To provide specialized burn care and treatment for children in Mexico who lack resources.
Founder: Virginia Sendel, motivated by personal tragedy.
Services: Organizes air ambulance transport for critical cases to Shriners Hospitals in the U.S. and raises funds for treatment.
Impact: Has helped over 2,000 children receive life-saving care and promotes burn prevention.
Recent Event: A Mexican Navy aircraft involved in a medical transport with the foundation tragically crashed near Galveston in December 2025.

The fog down here in Galveston has been crazy for the past 3 days. When I got home from Dallas Sunday night, visibility was less than 300 feet when I was coming across the Causeway.

Apparently the King Air was IFR equipped but from a lot of the air crash investigation type shows I've watched, that doesn't mean that they knew how to use it.

Also, from some pilots I've talked to, landing at Galveston trips people out because you're basically landing at sea level versus some adjustment between MSL and the runway.

I'm sure the NTSB crash investigation will be interesting. Honestly, I'm impressed that several people survived including the child they were transporting.

There's some video filmed by the Good Samaritan guy's 11 y/o kid

Video obtained by KHOU 11 shows a woman, believed to be one of two survivors of a medical plane crash, being rescued from Galveston Bay Monday afternoon.

Rescuers share their story with @MattKHOU tonight on KHOU 11 News at 10.https://t.co/jGHPzRAI1X pic.twitter.com/l0a3FrsjIn

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) December 23, 2025

From the limited news I have seen on this the pilots did some illegal actions and never should have landed at that airport. An accident that could have been prevented.

T&P

This is like the third or fourth Mexican medical flight crash in like a year.

The Philly crash was a Mexican medical flight.


All different planes, but still suspicious.

P.U.T.U said:

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From the limited news I have seen on this the pilots did some illegal actions and never should have landed at that airport. An accident that could have been prevented.

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I read both articles. What illegal actions are we talking about?

I had the same question.

HollywoodBQ said:

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The fog down here in Galveston has been crazy for the past 3 days. When I got home from Dallas Sunday night, visibility was less than 300 feet when I was coming across the Causeway.

Apparently the King Air was IFR equipped but from a lot of the air crash investigation type shows I've watched, that doesn't mean that they knew how to use it.

Also, from some pilots I've talked to, landing at Galveston trips people out because you're basically landing at sea level versus some adjustment between MSL and the runway.

I'm sure the NTSB crash investigation will be interesting. Honestly, I'm impressed that several people survived including the child they were transporting.

There's some video filmed by the Good Samaritan guy's 11 y/o kid

Video obtained by KHOU 11 shows a woman, believed to be one of two survivors of a medical plane crash, being rescued from Galveston Bay Monday afternoon.

Rescuers share their story with @MattKHOU tonight on KHOU 11 News at 10.https://t.co/jGHPzRAI1X pic.twitter.com/l0a3FrsjIn

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) December 23, 2025

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Incredible footage. God bless those good samaritans!

Triple S said:

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This is like the third or fourth Mexican medical flight crash in like a year.

The Philly crash was a Mexican medical flight.


All different planes, but still suspicious.

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Suspicious how?

The circumstances are completely different in this crash and the Philly one.

This one looks to be clearly pilot error for trying to land in weather no pilot flying that type of aircraft should have been landing in.

Don't forget about the giant mexican boat in NYC.

With foggy conditions you will usually fly the instrument approach to minimums and if ground (or airport lights) not visible you execute a missed approach and go to your alternate.
Fog and low clouds are not a uniform thickness, there can be holes and you might get lucky and see the runway environment and land. Some pilots push the limits, fly lower than minimums. Some pilots die.

Triple S said:

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P.U.T.U said:

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From the limited news I have seen on this the pilots did some illegal actions and never should have landed at that airport. An accident that could have been prevented.

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I read both articles. What illegal actions are we talking about?

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I saw someone that indicated visibility may have been well below minimums for Scholes Field.

I'm sure we'll learn a lot more when Blancolirio gets a video out

The runway they were attempting to land on is rated for Cat I ILS (decision height 200 feet). Would be interested to know if anyone else had just landed there.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like there are any tower feeds / archives of ATC audio available publicly on liveatc or broadcastify, although I'm sure recordings will emerge soon.

Heavy fog usually means no to low wind.

RWY 14 has an ILS so I'd assume that was the approach they were on.

I'd take a Cat II to mins (my jet doesn't have autoland) over a localizer to mins any day.

Yes they were on approach to 14. Had swung around over the causeway bridge and were landing to the south. Edit: flight track below.

CharlieBrown17 said:

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Heavy fog usually means no to low wind.

RWY 14 has an ILS so I'd assume that was the approach they were on.

I'd take a Cat II to mins (my jet doesn't have autoland) over a localizer to mins any day.

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Read the NOTAMS for KGLS

Difference between ILI and LOC?

RNAV 14 safer procedure on this case?

Any word on how the survivors are doing ?

5Amp said:

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CharlieBrown17 said:

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Heavy fog usually means no to low wind.

RWY 14 has an ILS so I'd assume that was the approach they were on.

I'd take a Cat II to mins (my jet doesn't have autoland) over a localizer to mins any day.

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Read the NOTAMS for KGLS

Difference between ILI and LOC?

RNAV 14 safer procedure on this case?

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I mean the ILS is glideslope is notam'ed out 17-25 Dec…if that's the case an RNAV will usually get you lower than an LOC but if the weather in this thread is accurate they had no shot.

CharlieBrown17 said:

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5Amp said:

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CharlieBrown17 said:

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Heavy fog usually means no to low wind.

RWY 14 has an ILS so I'd assume that was the approach they were on.

I'd take a Cat II to mins (my jet doesn't have autoland) over a localizer to mins any day.

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Read the NOTAMS for KGLS

Difference between ILI and LOC?

RNAV 14 safer procedure on this case?

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I mean the ILS is glideslope is notam'ed out 17-25 Dec…if that's the case an RNAV will usually get you lower than an LOC but if the weather in this thread is accurate they had no shot.

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Bro... I live near Galveston Ball HS and I couldn't even see across the street when this crash happened. Honestly, it was a trip how foggy it was.

was in Galveston as well yesterday and couldn't see anything clearly beyond 50 to 60 feet. That was very much a no go situation if I'm flying. Taxiing would have been really dangerous; much less landing

Ive shot that approach a ton, both ILS and RNAV on that runway. If the ILS is out I believe DH for the RNAV is 700 ft. He would have been way low if he flew it into the water where that track ended and should have already been going missed. Could have been failure of instruments or incorrect altimeter setting, or a ton of other things. RIP to the victims.

Rapier108 said:

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Triple S said:

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This is like the third or fourth Mexican medical flight crash in like a year.

The Philly crash was a Mexican medical flight.


All different planes, but still suspicious.

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Suspicious how?

The circumstances are completely different in this crash and the Philly one.

This one looks to be clearly pilot error for trying to land in weather no pilot flying that type of aircraft should have been landing in.

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suspicious how?


How about a plane full of people trying to land in 30 foot visibility?

How bout the Lear 55 jet in Philly NOT having a working cockpit recorder for YEARS….

(these are maintenance issues that point to other maintenance issues that likely were never known to laymen….)

prior to the Lear 55 in Philly (Mexican Owned) that same company had another crash in a Lear 55 like a year before…..

there was one other crash that I can't find of a Mexican owned plane in the US.

How bout the Mexican boat that hit that bridge??? That was due to a mechanical issue,

suspicious?…..? Yeah. Lack of proper maintenance and operating in our skies and waters makes me suspicious that that it is common practice for these lapses in maintenance and proper procedures that are putting others at risk.


Yeah. Suspicious.

fire09 said:

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Ive shot that approach a ton, both ILS and RNAV on that runway. If the ILS is out I believe DH for the RNAV is 700 ft. He would have been way low if he flew it into the water where that track ended and should have already been going missed. Could have been failure of instruments or incorrect altimeter setting, or a ton of other things. RIP to the victims.

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KGLS RWY 14 LPV DA: This provides vertical guidance using WAAS and is flown to a Decision Altitude, similar to a Category I ILS. The minimums are published on the chart.

Minimums 205'
1/2 SM

CharlieBrown17 said:

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5Amp said:

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CharlieBrown17 said:

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Heavy fog usually means no to low wind.

RWY 14 has an ILS so I'd assume that was the approach they were on.

I'd take a Cat II to mins (my jet doesn't have autoland) over a localizer to mins any day.

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Read the NOTAMS for KGLS

Difference between ILI and LOC?

RNAV 14 safer procedure on this case?

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I mean the ILS is glideslope is notam'ed out 17-25 Dec…if that's the case an RNAV will usually get you lower than an LOC but if the weather in this thread is accurate they had no shot.

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He was in a King air. High end civilian autopilots can take you 50' over the threshold. I would assume military grade is even better, even the Mexican military would have decent autopilots.

i don't think he read the NOTAM and was not prepared to hand fly the guide slope and never got established on the approach.

We all agree he should have diverted to Ellington and had the child transported by car. The passenger list had not only a nurse but a Doctor on board plus a number of military officers. I wonder how much pressure was put on the pilot to land at GLS.