Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kamuela, Hawaii 96743
Wednesday, January 1, 1986 11:10 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING TO AVIOD CLOUDS DURING A LOCAL SCENIC FLT. THE PLT STATED THAT TURBULENCE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE ACFT WAS BLOWN INTO TREES. THE WINDS WERE FROM 050 DEGS AT 37 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 45 KTS. SIGMET OSCAR FIVE WAS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WHICH FORECAST OCCASIONAL SEVERE TURBULENCEBELOW 9000 FT OVER AND IMMEDIATELY SOUTH THROUGH WEST OF ALL MOUNTAINS IN ALL OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/1/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City KAMUELA
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96743
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 1
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 1050 Hawaii Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID MUE
Elevation of weather observation facility 2671
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation HST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 37
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 45
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 4
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 456
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1858
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30724
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7320K
NTSB Number LAX86LA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model R172K
Aircraft Series Identifier R172K
Aircraft Serial Number R1722056
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 4 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 38
Airframe Hours 3223
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM H. MERRILL, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX V
Aircraft Owner City HAKALAU
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96710
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AL MERRILL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address GEN LYMAN FIELD
Operator City HILO
Operator State HI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
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 IAI
Departure City KEAHOLE
Departure State HI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 2:56PM
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 --