Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Holoaloa, Hawaii 96725
Sunday, April 18, 2004 16:45 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a for hire sightseeing tour flight, the airplane impacted rising mountainous volcanic terrain following the pilot's encounter with deteriorating weather. The pilot had been employed by the operator for 11 days prior to the accident and this flight was the pilot's first 14 CFR Part 135 revenue tour flight. Two pilots were interviewed who had flown the route shortly before the accident flight. They both reported encountering low visibility and light rain in the area of the accident. They conducted their flights along the shoreline to avoid the weather conditions. After departure, the pilot was flying south along a highway between the mountains and the coast. The passengers said that within 10 minutes of takeoff, they began to encounter weather conditions that would "get bad, clear up, and get bad again." Both passengers believed the pilot was trying to get out of the clouds. The passengers stated that they were in the clouds and then suddenly they could see the mountain in front of them and the airplane hit the ground. The pilot stated that the airplane remained clear of the clouds, but encountered a severe downdraft and turbulence that she was maneuvering to get out of when the airplane hit the mountain. A review of the weather reports, forecasts, and satellite data for the area of the accident was conducted. Clouds covered the accident site. Upper air data analysis showed the potential for mountain wave activity with maximum vertical velocities of 100 feet per minute. An AIRMET was valid for the time and location of the accident and called for potential moderate turbulence below 6,000 feet. No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure was found during an examination of the wreckage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions that resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. Factors in the accident were rising terrain, low clouds and rain, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic area.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/18/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | Holoaloa |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96725 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 191200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1554800W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Hawaii Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 337 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KOA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 47 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4100 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 3 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 19196 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 18 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2130 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 28 2006 12:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA Headquarters, AAI-100 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8198A |
| NTSB Number | LAX04FA190 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA 28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-8216144 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2415 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Mar 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 42 |
| Airframe Hours | 9379.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Above It All Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 73-300 UU Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kona |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96740 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | OVFA |
| 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 | KAILUA/KONA |
| Departure State | HI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1620 |
| Departure Time Zone | HST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KOA |
| Destination City | KAILUA/KONA |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2005 2:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | Yes |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |