Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kaunakakai/Molokai Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kaunakakai, Hawaii 96729
Thursday, August 5, 1999 7:40 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Five passengers had chartered the airplane for a flight. Four of the passengers arrived at the airport, passed through the operator's boarding gate and entered the airplane. The pilot prepared to taxi for takeoff, started the engines, and performed other related duties in the cockpit. The late arriving fifth adult (prospective) passenger arrived at the airport and attempted to gain access to the ramp area where the airplane was parked. The passenger was described by witnesses as being 'frantic' and looking 'very upset.' He made several attempts to gain access via closed terminal gates and was observed to bang on closed glass doors while yelling 'that's my plane, that's my plane' in an attempt to acquire attention. The passenger located a nearby open and unguarded freight-loading gate next to the terminal. He passed through the unattended gate, ran toward the airplane while waving his arms, and contacted the left engine's rotating propeller. An investigation of the gate area revealed the area was marked with signs stating 'KEEP OUT RESTRICTED AREA' and 'AUTHORIZED AIRPORT EMPLOYEES ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT.' The gate was being used for freight movement by a different operator, whose loader had left the gate open while handling cargo in another area. Under FAA and state regulations, the company's freight loader had a responsibility to ensure that the gate was secure from entry by unauthorized persons at all times.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The prospective passenger's intentional act of bypassing proscribed airport procedures for boarding aircraft. A factor was the failure of another operator's ground personnel to comply with ramp access restrictions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/5/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 740 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | KAUNAKAKAI |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96729 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | KAUNAKAKAI/MOLOKAI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MKK |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 454 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 754 Hawaii Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PHM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 454 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 22 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 5 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1710 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 5 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1120 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 11 2001 4:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4234L |
| NTSB Number | LAX99LA263 |
| 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 | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Partenavia |
| Aircraft Model | P68C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | P68C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 225 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4387 |
| 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 | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 16 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 82 |
| Airframe Hours | 6513 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PARAGON AIR, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 575 |
| Aircraft Owner City | KAHULUI, MAUI |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96732 |
| 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 | DDLA |
| 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 | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LUP |
| Destination City | KALAUPAPA |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 11 2001 4:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 5 |
| Runway Length | 4494 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |