Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96745
Wednesday, December 21, 1994 7:53 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO CONTROLLERS ON DUTY IN THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER AT THE KAILUA AIRPORT, SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT REPORTED 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING, HE RADIOED THAT HE WAS LOOSING POWER AND WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. IN HIS STATEMENT, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS INBOUND TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE WOODEN PROPELLER DELAMINATED AND A SEVERE VIBRATION SHOOK THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FORCED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON AN ABANDONED AIRSTRIP BEHIND A BEACH RESORT HOTEL, BUT HAD INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE BEACH, COLLIDED WITH PALM TREES, AND CAREENED INTO THE HOTEL BAR. THERE WERE NO GROUND INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a delamination of the wooden propeller.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 753
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KAILUA-KONA
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96745
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 750 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 333
Weather Observation Facility ID KOA
Elevation of weather observation facility 43
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1729
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1040
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3250K
NTSB Number LAX95LA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RENDER
Aircraft Model LONG-EZ
Aircraft Series Identifier LONG-EZ
Aircraft Serial Number 819
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 31 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 490
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT F. CHURCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 78-6980 KALUNA STREET, #154
Aircraft Owner City KAILUA-KONA
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96739
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SCOTT F. CHURCH
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 78-6980 KALUNA STREET, #154
Operator City KAILUA-KONA
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96739
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OGG
Departure City KAHULUI, MAUI
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --