Honolulu International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Honolulu, Hawaii 96818
Sunday, December 15, 1996 21:09 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Hydraulic fluid was leaking from a deteriorated O-ring in the landing gear selector solenoid valve, rendering the normal landing gear extension system inoperative. The crew actuated the alternate gear extension system and was unable to extend the right main landing gear. The first officer pulled the main landing gear alternate extension cable until it stopped and the right main landing gear uplock actuator did not release. On advice from company maintenance, after completing the alternate gear extension procedure, the crew retracted the nose gear and the left main gear using the normal system and then attempted another normal extension. Only the left main landing gear extended. The airplane's number 2 hydraulic system was depleted with 1.5 quarts of fluid remaining. The crew attempted another retraction to raise the left main landing gear without success. The captain then landed the airplane with only the left main landing gear extended. Examination of the alternate gear system revealed the main gear extension cable would bind after the left main landing gear uplock actuator would release. Subsequent testing of the system while the airplane was on jack stands reduced the binding, but in all tests the left main landing gear uplock actuator would release before the right uplock actuator. Examination of the main landing gear alternate extension cable revealed the plastic coating was missing in two places adjacent to a pulley. The right main landing gear wheel well was excessively dirty with areas of exfoliated white paint, exposing the underlying primer.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A failure of the normal landing gear extension system due to a hydraulic leak, and the failure of the airplane's emergency landing gear extension system due to inadequate servicing by company maintenance personnel. Factors were the emergency landing gear extension systems dirty and binding condition, a worn emergency landing gear extension cable, and the training simulator's lack of fidelity concerning the force required to operate the emergency gear extension T-handle.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2109
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HONOLULU
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96818
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 12
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 13
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2110 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID HNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 13
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1864
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 15 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N801WP
NTSB Number LAX97FA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-8
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-8
Aircraft Serial Number 086
Certified Max Gross Weight 34500
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 39
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Dec 8 1996 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 CBL CAPITAL CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 989 E. HILLSDALE BLVD, STE 300
Aircraft Owner City FOSTER CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94404
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALOHA ISLANDAIR INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 99 KAPALULU PLACE
Operator City HONOLULU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96819
Operator Code KPVA
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 LNY
Departure City LANAI
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1958
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 --
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 4L
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --