Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalihi, Hawaii 96819
Tuesady, October 31, 1989 6:57 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS FLYING A MORNING TRAFFIC WATCH ALONG A HIGHWAY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, JUST EAST OF HONOLULU. THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THE NEXT TRAFFIC REPORT WAS DUE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A RIDGE THRU WHICH THE HIGHWAY PASSED VIA A TUNNEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ABOUT 1/2 MI WEST OF THE SOUTH ENTRANCE OF THE TUNNEL. IMPACT OCCURRED BELOW A RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2000 FT. THIS WAS ABOVE THE LOWEST ELEVATION OF A PASS THAT CROSSED THE RIDGE NEAR THAT POINT. GROUND SCARS AT THE CRASH SITE WERE INDICATIVE OF A WINGS LEVEL IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 657
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KALIHI
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96819
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID HNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2345
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 31 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42418
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 N3731X
NTSB Number LAX90FA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 77
Aircraft Series Identifier 77
Aircraft Serial Number WA-145
Certified Max Gross Weight 1675
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 22 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 126
Airframe Hours 4521
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HUTCHINSON AUTO & AIR CO.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3739
Aircraft Owner City HONOLULU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96812
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREAT BEND AIR, INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 JMMA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
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 600
Departure Time Zone HST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --