Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kalaeloa Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kapolei, Hawaii 96707
Friday, December 19, 2008 11:41 HST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was level at 1,500 feet mean sea level when the flight instructor had the private pilot receiving instruction reduce power and glide towards the runway for a touch-and-go. The flight instructor stated that they did not use carburetor heat nor did they clear the engine during the glide. The pilot landed the airplane and while still rolling, advanced the throttle for takeoff. Immediately after liftoff, the flight instructor noted that the engine was not accelerating above 2,100 rpm. She took control of the airplane, checked the engine instruments, fuel tank selector position, and fuel pressure, and confirmed that the throttle and mixture controls were full forward. The flight instructor did not apply carburetor heat. The flight instructor estimated that the airplane reached a maximum height of about 200 feet above ground level before impacting trees and a power line. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation. Although the fuel tank selector valve was found slightly out of the detent for the right tank position, it still offered about 80 percent of the normal opening for fuel to pass. According to the engine manufacturer, carburetor ice can form "under moist conditions (a relative humidity of 50 percent to 60 percent is moist enough) with any outside air temperature from 20 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit." The calculated relative humidity at the time of the accident was 79 percent. Plotting the recorded temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit and the dew point of 70 degrees Fahrenheit on a carburetor icing probability chart indicated that the conditions were in the range for serious icing at glide power. The partial loss of engine power was likely a result of the formation of carburetor ice.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The partial loss of engine power during the initial climb due to the failure of both pilots to use carburetor heat during a long descent for landing in carburetor icing conditions, and, the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/19/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1141 |
| Event Time Zone | Hawaii Standard Time |
| Event City | Kapolei |
| Event State | HAWAII |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96707 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 211857N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1580321W |
| Event Location Airport | Kalaeloa Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | JRF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 30 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Hawaii Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HJR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 30 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | HST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 25 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| 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) | 26081 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2009 2:44PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6182J |
| NTSB Number | WPR09FA060 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7625227 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 |
| 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 | Nov 9 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 21 |
| Airframe Hours | 3823 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | OFFSHORE FLIGHT SCHOOL INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 100 IOLANA PL |
| Aircraft Owner City | HONOLULU |
| Aircraft Owner State | HI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 96819-1805 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | OFFSHORE FLIGHT SCHOOL INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 100 IOLANA PL |
| Operator City | HONOLULU |
| Operator State | HI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 96819-1805 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | JRF |
| Departure City | Kapolei |
| Departure State | HI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1140 |
| Departure Time Zone | HST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | JRF |
| Destination City | Kapolei |
| Destination State | HI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 18 2009 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 04L |
| Runway Length | 4500 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |