Keahole International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kona, Hawaii 96740
Saturday, September 23, 1995 7:17 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON THE STUDENT PILOT'S SECOND UNSUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT SHE WAS CLEARED BY THE TOWER FOR A STOP-AND-GO LANDING BEHIND A MILITARY C-130 TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT SHE WAS AWARE OF THE WAKE TURBULENCE HAZARD AND THAT SHE INTENDED TO FLY HER APPROACH ABOVE THE GLIDEPATH OF THE C-130. SHE REPORTED THAT THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN THE 'AIRCRAFT VEERED SWIFTLY TO [THE] RIGHT DIPPING DOWN AND NOSING OVER TO COLLIDE WITH [THE] RUNWAY'. INVESTIGATORS REPORTED THAT INITIAL IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE RUNWAY, 362 FEET BEYOND THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 700 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the student pilot to properly execute a planned steep approach and long landing so as to avoid wake turbulence behind the preceding large aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 717
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KONA
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96740
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KEAHOLE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KOA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 47
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1132
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 29 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10637
NTSB Number LAX95LA343
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15074935
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 17 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 5233
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEITH B. VARNER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 551
Aircraft Owner City HOLUALOA
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96725
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KOA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 635
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 17
Runway Length 11000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --