Kahului Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kahului, Maui, Hawaii 96732
Saturday, March 25, 1995 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT EXECUTED A LEFT TURN TOWARD KONA. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT FLYING AT 'CRUISE' AIRSPEED TOWARD THE IAO VALLEY. ALL WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE IN-FLIGHT SOUNDS OF THE AIRCRAFT AS 'NORMAL.' AS WITNESSES WATCHED, THE AIRCRAFT FLEW INTO THE IAO VALLEY AND IMPACTED ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE VALLEY. THE IMPACT WAS FOLLOWED BY AN EXPLOSIVE FLASH AND SUBSEQUENT GROUND FIRE. WITNESSES TO THE CRASH STATED THAT THE NIGHT WAS VERY DARK. AN AIRLINE CAPTAIN WHO TOOK OFF AFTER THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT REPORTED THE WEATHER WAS 'CLEAR' WITH 'LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate terrain clearance altitude while flying in a mountainous area at night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 4
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KAHULUI, MAUI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96732
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KAHULUI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OGG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 7
Degrees magnetic from airport 250
Airport Elevation 54
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 150 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID OGG
Elevation of weather observation facility 54
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 388
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 623
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7705Q
NTSB Number LAX95FA144
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310Q
Aircraft Series Identifier 310Q
Aircraft Serial Number 310Q0205
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 44
Airframe Hours 5057
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK L. LEARY, III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 73-4340 PALU PALU PLACE
Aircraft Owner City KAILUA, KONA
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96745
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code VTUA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code OGG
Departure City
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 2400
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KOA
Destination City KAILUA-KONA
Destination State HI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 2
Runway Length 6995
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --