Plane makes emergency landing on Galveston beach, allowed to take off again
A small airplane takes off from a Galveston beach after making an emergency landing on Saturday, March 1, 2025. Credit: i45now (i45now)
GALVESTON, Texas - A small plane made an emergency landing on Galveston's West End Saturday, after losing power.
What we know:
No one was injured after the plane lost power and made an emergency landing on the beach near 16 Mile Road.
Plane takes off after making emergency landing on beach
A small airplane made an emergency landing on a Galveston beach after losing power to its engine. The plane was grounded for about an hour before being allowed to take off again. Video courtesy: i45now
The pilot told Jamaica Beach Fire Chief Kyle Baden that the engine had stopped running and he had to quickly find a place to land.
What they're saying:
Barbara Bright was the lone passenger on the plane.
She said the pilot remained calm during the ordeal, which made her calm.
"All of a sudden, you could hear the engine change sounds," Bright said. "I thought [the pilot] was joking at first. He said I better turn around and head for the beach. It all happened so fast."
Galveston Police Capt. Xavier Hancock said the pilot and police spoke with the Federal Aviation Administration and determined it was safe for the plane to take off again and return to its hanger in Pearland.
"In my 18 years, 7 months, I cannot recall having done this evolution before," Hancock said.
The plane was on the beach for about an hour before it was allowed to leave.
What we don't know:
It is unclear what caused the power failure of the plane's engine.
The Source: Information in this article comes from interviews conducted by i45now.