Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kona, Hawaii
Friday, April 25, 2014 23:16 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On Thursday, April 25, 2014, about 1316 Hawaiian standard time, a loss of air traffic control separation occurred on airway R578 about 43 nautical miles southwest of FAPIS waypoint, when a Boeing 757-300 (B753), en route from Kona International Airport, Kona, Hawaii to Los Angeles, California, passed in close proximity to a Boeing 757-200 (B752), en route to Kahului Airport, Kahului, Hawaii, from Phoenix, Arizona. At the time of the incident, both aircraft were on regularly scheduled 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 passenger flights and operating in full compliance with air traffic control clearances issued by the Federal Aviation Administration's Honolulu Control Facility (HCF). There was no damage reported to either aircraft, or any injuries to passengers or crew. Because of traffic conditions in oceanic airspace, Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center Oceanic Control requested approval from HCF to allow the B752 to enter HCF airspace on R578 at flight level 330, an inappropriate altitude for the direction of flight. HCF approved the request. When the B752 reported 9 miles northeast of FAPIS waypoint on R578, the HCF radar controller issued a transponder code to the pilot. The B752 flew about 35 nautical miles southwest on R578 before the aircraft was detected by radar and appeared on the HCF controller's display. At that time, the B753 was northeast-bound at flight level 330, also on R578, opposite direction to the B752 and in radar contact with HCF. When the B753 was about 5.3 nautical miles from the B752, the pilot of the B753 reported that they had received a resolution advisory from their on-board anti-collision system and executed an emergency descent. The B752 reported that they had also responded to a resolution advisory and climbed. According to FAA separation standards, the two aircraft should have been at different altitudes 10 minutes before they passed. When the radar system began detecting the B752, the two aircraft were about 14.1 nautical miles (about one minute) apart, flying towards each other on opposite courses at the same altitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/25/2014
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2316
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Kona
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury --
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 12 2014 7:52AM
User who most recently changed record duns
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number OPS14IA006
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part --
Type of Flight Plan filed --
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 757 2S7
Aircraft Series Identifier 2S7
Aircraft Serial Number 23321
Certified Max Gross Weight 248020
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? --
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 239
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21 SOUTH ST FL 3
Aircraft Owner City MORRISTOWN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 079604135
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 111 West Rio Salado Parkway
Operator City 85281 Tempe
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City --
Departure State --
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 12 2014 7:40AM
User who most recently changed record duns
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --