Beechcraft 77 N3731X
31 October 1989 · Kalihi, Hawaii, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 31 October 1989 at about 16:57 local time, a Beechcraft 77 registered N3731X, operated by Great Bend Air, Inc, was involved in an accident near Kalihi, Hawaii, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 16:57
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kalihi, Hawaii, United States
- Coordinates
- 21.3506, -157.8802
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft 77
- Registration
- N3731X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Great Bend Air, Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Honolulu → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX90FA019
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT WAS FLYING A MORNING TRAFFIC WATCH ALONG A HIGHWAY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, JUST EAST OF HONOLULU. THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THE NEXT TRAFFIC REPORT WAS DUE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A RIDGE THRU WHICH THE HIGHWAY PASSED VIA A TUNNEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ABOUT 1/2 MI WEST OF THE SOUTH ENTRANCE OF THE TUNNEL. IMPACT OCCURRED BELOW A RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2000 FT. THIS WAS ABOVE THE LOWEST ELEVATION OF A PASS THAT CROSSED THE RIDGE NEAR THAT POINT. GROUND SCARS AT THE CRASH SITE WERE INDICATIVE OF A WINGS LEVEL IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft 77 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jul 1989 | Beechcraft 77 | Cluster Springs, Virginia, United States | Piedmont Aviation Services Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Sep 1988 | Beechcraft 77 | Friendship, Arkansas, United States | Central Flying Service, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1990 | Beechcraft 77 | Terrell, Texas, United States | Bolen, MAX E. | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 1988 | Beechcraft 77 | Santa Barbara, California, United States | Schuster, Jerry R. | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 1990 | Beechcraft 77 | Taft, California, United States | Coyote Aviation, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 10 Oct 1988 | Beechcraft 77 | Farmingdale, New York, United States | Airco Leasing, Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Oct 1989 | Emair MA1-B | Hilo, Hawaii, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Dec 1989 | Bryce Duster BJ-1B | Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Feb 1989 | Boeing 747-122 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | United Airlines | Fatal | 9 |
| 11 Jun 1989 | Beechcraft H18 | Waipio Valley, Hawaii, United States | - | Fatal | 11 |
| 29 Oct 1989 | De Havilland DHC-6-300 | Halawa, Molokai, Hawaii, United States | - | Fatal | 20 |
| 29 Jun 1989 | Schweizer SGS 2-33A | Haleiwa, Oahu, Hawaii, United States | Civil Air Patrol | No injuries | - |