Cessna 172M accident near Pahala, HI
On June 17, 2008, a Cessna 172M (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pahala, HI. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 17, 2008
- Place
- Pahala, HI
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 19.201°N, 155.604°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080630X00944
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 17, 2008, approximately 1205 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 172M, N13713, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Pahala, Hawaii. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were killed. Above It All, Inc., d.b.a. Island Hoppers, was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight's departure from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, at approximately 1020. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed and opened for the island circumnavigation air tour flight. The flight plan was for 2:30 hours, at 2,000 feet. The airplane departed on a nonscheduled sightseeing flight counterclockwise around the island of Hawaii. The pilot opened his flight plan with Air Traffic Control (ATC) at 1020. The flight plan indicated the route was north to Upolu Point, to Hilo, to South Point, and to Kona via the shoreline. Approach radar to Hilo International Airport first detected the airplane approximately 15 nautical miles (nm) north of Hilo at 1101; the airplane was recorded leaving Hilo radar coverage approximately 17 nm south of Hilo at 1117. The airplane was observed by another Island Hopper airplane in the area of Kalapana (where lava was entering the ocean), approximately 1130. When the airplane did not return to Kailua-Kona at its scheduled time, a search was commenced. By the following day, the search became an island wide multi-agency search. On June 22, approximately 0600, the airplane was found in a rain forest, on the southeastern side of the volcan
Probable cause
The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and his failure to remain clear of rising terrain while deviating from his planned route of flight. Contributing to the accident were clouds and mountainous terrain.
More accidents in HI
- Beech 65-A90, Jun 22, 2019
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Browse: Hawaii · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
