Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Monday, November 4, 1985 5:39 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT BECAME AWARE OF THE ACFT'S UNANTICIPATED LOW FUEL STATE WHEN THE ENG FAILED WHILE OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN, APRX 900 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION. HE RESTARTED THE ENG BUT ESTIMATED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH FUEL REMAINING TO REACH HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION. HE SOLICITED ASSISTANCE FROM NAVY AND COAST GUARD ACFT TO HELP HIM LOCATE A SHIP NEAR WHICH HE MIGHT DITCH. A SHIP WAS LOCATED AND THE PLT DITCHED HIS ACFT APRX 700 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION. THE PLT SUSPECTED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE HOPPER AS IT LOST APRX 150 GALLONS OF FUEL IN 1 HOUR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/4/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 539
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City HILO
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96720
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 11
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Dawn
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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) 2672
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 4 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 832
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30345
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9958J
NTSB Number LAX86LA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T188C
Aircraft Series Identifier T188C
Aircraft Serial Number T18803887T
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 10 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 300
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHNSON AIRCRAFT SERVICES
Aircraft Owner Street Address TULARE AIR PARK
Aircraft Owner City TULARE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93274
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRANS-AIR, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 300 COUNTY AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City VACAVILLE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95688
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 No
Departure Airport Code 045
Departure City VACAVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ITO
Destination City HILO
Destination State HI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --