Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Halawa,Molokai, Hawaii
Saturday, October 28, 1989 18:37 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DE HAVILLAND DHC-6, N707PV (ALOHA ISLANDAIR FLT 1712), COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN NEAR HALAWA BAY, HI, WHILE EN ROUTE ON A SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLT AT NIGHT FROM MAUI TO MOLOKAI, HI. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 500 FT, SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED OVER WATER, THEN CROSSED THE SHORELINE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE CAPTAIN HAD MADE A NAVIGATIONAL ERROR & MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT HE WAS CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE NORTHERN PORTION OF MOKOKAI ISLAND. THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE ON A HEADING THAT WAS PARALLEL WITH THE ISLAND'S NORTHERN SHORELINE. LOW CLOUDS OBSCURED THE MTN TOPS IN THE AREA OF THE ACDNT. THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE OF INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF PSNL, TRAINING & OPNS BY ALOHA ISLANDAIR MANAGEMENT & INSUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT OF ALOHA ISLANDAIR BY THE FAA DURING A PERIOD OF ALOHA ISLANDAIR'S RAPID OPNL EXPANSION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE AIRPLANE'S CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN AS A RESULT OF THE DECISION OF THE CAPTAIN TO CONTINUE FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES AT NIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), WHICH OBSCURED RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND OPERATIONS BY ALOHA ISLANDAIR MANAGEMENT AND INSUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT OF ALOHA ISLANDAIR BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION PARTICULARILY DURING A PERIOD OF RAPID OPERATIONAL EXPANSION. (REF: NTSB/AAR-90/05)

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/28/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1837
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HALAWA,MOLOKAI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 20
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 20
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1388
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 28 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39650
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N707PV
NTSB Number DCA90MA005
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 Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DE HAVILLAND
Aircraft Model DHC-6-300
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-6-300
Aircraft Serial Number 400
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 19875
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALOHA ISLANDAIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City HONOLULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96819
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 WP-1
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 OGG
Departure City MAUI
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MKK
Destination City MOLOKAI
Destination State HI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --