Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Paauilo, Hawaii 96764
Friday, May 18, 2001 8:16 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During cruise, both engines lost power, and the pilot ditched the airplane in the ocean, where it sank off the coastline in 150 feet of water. The purpose of the flight was a tour of the Island of Hawaii. An hour into the flight, after transitioning through Hilo's airspace, the pilot noted fluctuations in both engines with a continued gradual loss of power. He conducted emergency procedures, which included advancing the mixtures, throttles, and propellers, with no change. He also switched to the auxiliary tanks, with the same results, both engines continued to lose power and eventually quit. The pilot briefed the passengers on ditching procedures, opened the emergency exit door, and landed straight ahead. He decided to land in the ocean due to calm and smooth ocean conditions. The pilot and passengers extricated themselves out of the airplane after ditching. There were no unresolved mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident flight. It had been refueled the night before with 44 gallons of fuel. The estimated fuel on board the airplane prior to departure was 75 gallons. Passengers confirmed that both engines quit. The airplane was not recovered.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A dual loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/18/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 816 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | Paauilo |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96764 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 200500N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1552000W |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 751 Hawaii Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 310 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ITO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 38 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 27 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 5 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15530 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 18 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1250 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 3 2004 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-HNL-FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2479S |
| NTSB Number | LAX01LA181 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 337C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 337-0779 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 29 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 79 |
| Airframe Hours | 3590.1 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Skycraft Air Maintenance |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 73-1103 MakaMaka St. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kailua Kona |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96740 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Mokulele Flight Service, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O. Box 830 |
| Operator City | Holualoa |
| Operator State | HI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 96725 |
| Operator Code | MK9A |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KOA |
| Departure City | Kona |
| Departure State | HI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 700 |
| Departure Time Zone | HST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KOA |
| Destination City | Kona |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 13 2004 5:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |