Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
Thursday, July 27, 1989 7:00 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT 6000 FEET MSL ENROUTE TO AUSTRALIA ON A FERRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 337 EXPERIENCED SUDDEN AND SEVERE TURBULENCE WHICH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS. DURING THE ENCOUNTER THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP THEN PITCHED DOWN TO A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS UNBUCKLED AT THE TIME TO TUNE AN HF RADIO LOCATED BEHIND HIS SEAT. AFTER THE ENCOUNTER THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HE RETURNED UNEVENTFULLY TO HONOLULU.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE TURBULENCE WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN IN CUMULUS CLOUD CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 700
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HONOLULU
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96819
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 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) 765
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40266
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2AC
NTSB Number LAX89LA257
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 337H
Aircraft Series Identifier 337H
Aircraft Serial Number 33701832
Certified Max Gross Weight 4630
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS H. MCCORKLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5623 MACORKLE AVE.
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRENT INTERNATIONAL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 2354
Operator City ALAMEDA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94501
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 520
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NGTA
Destination City TARAWA
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --