Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
Saturday, December 30, 1995 8:43 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to statements from the captain and the injured flight attendant, the captain was anticipating moderate turbulence for the flight due to frontal system activity over the Hawaiian Islands. The captain briefed the flight attendant on the expected turbulence for the entire flight and kept the seatbelt sign illuminated continuously. Turbulence was encountered for the majority of the flight. Radar vectors were provided for an LDA Runway 26L approach to Honolulu. Also, a descent was made to 7,000 feet with the aircraft heading toward the only clear area between cells shown on both the aircraft and approach control radars. No turbulence had been encountered for several minutes, and the flight attendant elected to do a passenger/seat belt compliance check. The captain said three strong 'jolts' were encountered, accompanied by altitude excursions. The turbulence was encountered as the attendant was returning to her seat in the rear of the aircraft. The flight attendant was bounced off the ceiling twice and sustained a displaced fracture of her left ankle.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the flight attendant's decision to leave her seat in an area of forecast and known moderate turbulence. The turbulence was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 843
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HONOLULU
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96819
Event Date Year 1995
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1818 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
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 4500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 23
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1885
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 30 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1350
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4202G
NTSB Number LAX96LA090
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ATR
Aircraft Model ATR 42-300
Aircraft Series Identifier ATR 42-300
Aircraft Serial Number 0050
Certified Max Gross Weight 41000
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 47
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 29 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 18820
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address RODNEY SQUARE NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19890
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAHALO AIR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 90 NAKALO PLACE, #215
Operator City HONOLULU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96819
Operator Code M3HA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LIH
Departure City LIHUE
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 757
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HNL
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 10:30AM
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 --