Beechcraft 19A N6142N

Summary

On 29 July 2017 at about 04:52 local time, a Beechcraft 19A registered N6142N was involved in an accident near Waipi'o, Hawaii, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 July 2017 at 04:52

Classification

Accident

Location

Waipi'o, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.4272, -158.0847

Aircraft

Beechcraft 19A

Registration

N6142N

Category

Airplane

Year built

1969

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honolulu → Honolulu

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR17FA170

4 people died.

The pilot's controlled flight into terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to fly at low altitude in close proximity to the rising terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot and three passengers departed on a local flight in day visual meteorological conditions. Radar data identified the flight shortly after takeoff at 1,800 ft mean sea level (msl), traveling on a northwesterly heading. As the flight continued, the altitude varied between about 1,100 ft and 1,800 ft as the airplane conducted three 360° turns. Following the third turn, the airplane was heading west, climbing from 1,800 ft to 2,000 ft msl as it approached a ridgeline that ran perpendicular to its flight path. Data indicated that the airplane then entered a left turn; the data ended in the vicinity of the accident site at an altitude about 1,900 ft msl. The wreckage was located on steep, mountainous terrain at an elevation about 1,900 ft msl. The airplane collided with the densely-vegetated terrain in a nearly wings-level attitude about 50 ft below a ridge that ran perpendicular to the main north/south running ridgeline. The highest point of the ridge line near the accident site was about 2,800 ft.  The accident site was located south of a pass in an area commonly used by pilots to transition the inland mountains of the island. The lowest point of the pass was about 2,100 ft. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation, and a witness reported that the engine was producing power until impact. It is unknown if the pilot was attempting to cross the ridge through the pass, was planning to fly along the ridgeline when the impact occurred, or was going to attempt to climb over the higher ridge. Regardless, the pilot decided to fly at low altitude, providing him little margin for error and he failed to maintain sufficient altitude above the mountainous terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.