Honolulu International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Honolulu, Hawaii 96818
Tuesady, May 30, 1995 9:00 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot called ATC and advised that he was experiencing a rough running engine, an intermittent engine, and finally, engine failure. The pilot reported he had less than 10 gallons of fuel and that there were three people onboard. ATC then lost radio and radar contact with the aircraft. A pilot flying in he vicinity reported seeing the aircraft inverted in the water. Two victims were recovered from the water and the third remains missing. A witness said the pilot was anxious to return to Honolulu. Fueling records showed 35.1 gallons of fuel was delivered on 5/27. The pilot then flew the aircraft on a local test flight of about 1 hour. There was no record of a fuel purchase on 5/26, or subsequent fuel purchases. On two prior occasions the pilot had been forced to make unplanned landings due to low fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel exhaustion resulting from pilot's inadequate preflight fuel planning for the over water flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HONOLULU
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96818
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HNL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 120
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 911 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID HNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1450
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1349
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6243J
NTSB Number LAX95LA199
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7615342
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 4 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GEORGE J. ANDRADA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 94-927 LUMIHOAHU STREET
Aircraft Owner City WAIPAHU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96797
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
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 KOA
Departure City KONA
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 750
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HNL
Destination City
Destination State HI
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 --