Lanai Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lanai, Hawaii 96763
Friday, February 14, 1992 8:15 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT THE APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT WAS NORMAL, WITH A 100 KNOT INDICATED AIRSPEED. THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS WERE ABOUT 110 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS DURING THE APPROACH; HOWEVER, ON SHORT FINAL HE ENCOUNTERED A VERY STRONG GUST FROM THE RIGHT. THE PILOT CORRECTED FOR THE WIND GUST THEN IT STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY DROPPED HARD TO THE RUNWAY WITHOUT WARNING. THE PILOT SAID HE SUSPECTED A WINDSHEAR ENCOUNTER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES SAID THE APPROACH SEEMED NORMAL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED. THE WITNESSES SAID THAT A THUNDERSTORM HAD PASSED THROUGH THE AREA JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT'S APPROACH.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPENSATE FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH A WINDSHEAR PHENOMENA. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF A LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR WARNING SYSTEM OR A SYSTEM FOR THE COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF WEATHER ADVISORIES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/14/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City LANAI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96763
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LANAI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LNY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1307
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 25
Weather Observation Facility ID LNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 1308
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 175
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46193
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33AP
NTSB Number LAX92LA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model D-18H
Aircraft Series Identifier D-18H
Aircraft Serial Number BA-748
Certified Max Gross Weight 9900
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name POLYNESIAN AIRWAYS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 471 AOWENA PLACE
Aircraft Owner City HONOLULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96819
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name POLYNESIAN AIRWAYS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 471 AOWENA PLACE
Operator City HONOLULU
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96819
Operator Code PORA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HNL
Departure City HONOLULU
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 735
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 3
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --