NTSB Identification: WPR16LA119
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Waianae, HI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/25/2017
Aircraft: BEECH C23, registration: N6697Y
Injuries: 2 Minor.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The private pilot reported that, during the climb-to-cruise portion of the cross-country interisland flight over open ocean water, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot applied carburetor heat, which resolved the engine roughness. The pilot decided to continue his flight. As the flight approached his destination, the engine began running roughly again, accompanied by a significant loss of engine rpm. The pilot applied carburetor heat and adjusted the mixture, but the engine power was not restored. He then ditched the airplane into the water just offshore of the island. The airplane wreckage was recovered from the water 3 days after the accident, and it had sustained significant damage from tidal forces. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Weather conditions in the area at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power and serious carburetor icing at glide power. If the pilot had either kept the carburetor heat on or applied it earlier, the loss of engine power and subsequent ditching could have been avoided.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s delay in applying carburetor heat during flight while operating in an area conducive to carburetor icing.
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N6697Y
NTSB Identification: WPR16LA119
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Waianae, HI
Aircraft: BEECH C23, registration: N6697Y
Injuries: 2 Minor.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On May 23, 2016, about 1137 Hawaiian standard time, A Beech C23, N6697Y, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent ditching within the open waters of the Pacific Ocean near Waianae, Hawaii. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii, about 20 minutes prior to the accident, with an intended destination of Kalaeloa Airport, Kapolei, Hawaii.
The pilot reported that during the climb to cruise portion of the flight, the engine began to run rough. The pilot applied carburetor heat, which resolved the roughness, and he continued his climb to 5,500 feet mean sea level. As the flight was approaching the shores of Oahu Island, the engine began running rough in addition to a reduction of engine rpm to about 1,700. The pilot applied carburetor heat and adjusted the mixture, however, was unsuccessful at restoring engine power. The pilot initiated a forced landing into the ocean waters just off shore of the island of Oahu.
The airplane came to rest nose low partially submerged within about 20 feet of water, about 50 to 75 feet from the shoreline. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that the forward portion of the fuselage was damaged. The wreckage was recovered from the water three days after the accident. Following removal from the water, the engine was rinsed with fresh water and subsequently filled with diesel fuel in an attempt to preserve the engine.
Examination of the recovered airplane on June 30, 2016, revealed that it was mostly fragmented into multiple pieces from the ocean tidal action. The engine remained attached to the firewall structure. Corrosion was observed throughout the engine and firewall. The carburetor was separated from its mounts. The magnetos and fuel pump remained secured to their mounting pads. The bottom spark plugs were removed and exhibited corrosion and debris consistent with ocean water and salt. The magnetos were removed. Partial rotational continuity was obtained when the propeller was rotated about ¼ of a turn and mechanical continuity was obtained at the rear of the engine. The right magneto drive shaft rotated however did not produce spark at the lead terminals. Disassembly of the magneto was not performed due to the corrosion on the cap bolts. The left magneto drive shaft would not rotate by hand. Disassembly of the magneto was not performed due to the corrosion on the cap bolts.
The carburetor was removed and disassembled for inspection. The internal float was intact and the needle valve was intact. A significant amount of salt and other ocean vegetation debris was observed throughout the float bowl and screen.
The right side exhaust remained partially attached to cylinders one and three. No nuts were observed on the cylinder number one exhaust mount and only one nut remained attached to the cylinder number three cylinder exhaust mount. It could not be determined if the missing nuts were displaced prior to the accident or during salvage and subsequent engine preservation methods. No evidence of any preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and production of power was observed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35 on June 30, 2009, regarding carburetor ice prevention. The conditions encountered in this accident (ambient temperature 84 degrees F, dew point 63 degrees F) were in the area of icing at glide and cruise power, and in the area of serious icing at glide power.
NTSB Identification: WPR16LA119
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Waianae, HI
Aircraft: BEECH C23, registration: N6697Y
Injuries: 2 Minor.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On May 23, 2016, about 1137 Hawaiian standard time, a Beech C23, N6697Y, sustained substantial damage following a loss of engine power and subsequent ditching within the open waters of the Pacific Ocean near Waianae, Hawaii. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii, about 20 minutes prior to the accident, with an intended destination of Kalaeloa Airport, Kapolei, Hawaii.
The pilot reported that during the climb to cruise portion of the flight, the engine began to run rough. The pilot applied carburetor heat, which resolved the roughness, and he continued his climb to 5,500 feet mean sea level. As the flight was approaching the shores of Oahu Island, the engine began running rough in addition to a reduction of engine rpm to about 1,700. The pilot applied carburetor heat and adjusted the mixture, however, was unsuccessful at restoring engine power. The pilot initiated a forced landing into the ocean waters just off shore of the island of Oahu.
The airplane came to rest nose low partially submerged within about 20 feet of water, about 50 to 75 feet from the shoreline. Initial examination of the wreckage revealed that the forward portion of the fuselage was damaged. The wreckage was recovered from the water on May 26 and has been moved to a secure location for further examination.
Eric Kawamoto
They were just over Makaha at the time, and one of Kawamoto's first thoughts was that the didn't want to crash into people on the sand. So he turned and dove straight into the water.
“I actually had full power coming out at 3,500 feet and then it just … slowed down to where it couldn’t sustain altitude,” Kawamoto told Hawaii News Now, in a live interview on Wednesday morning.
Kawamoto returned to Makaha Beach Park on Wednesday morning, shortly before crews began salvage operations for the single-engine Beechcraft Sundowner registered to Kawamoto and his wife, Leslie.
He said that he initially thought he might make it to Kalaeloa airport, but quickly realized the plane was going down. The plane crashed about 40 yards off Makaha.
“The plane floated for a little bit, and when it finally went under, we just jumped off and started swimming to shore,” Kawamoto said.
Both suffered minor injuries and were taken to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center and later transferred to the Queen’s Medical Center.
When asked what was going through his mind at the time, Kawamoto added that he wasn’t fearful of death, but rather the extent of the injuries he would have.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating the crash.
Story and video: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com
Beech C23 Sundowner experienced engine trouble while inbound to Honolulu International Airport and landed just off of Makaha Beach.
A single-engine Beechcraft Sundowner reportedly experienced engine trouble while inbound to Honolulu airport this morning and made an emergency water landing just off Makaha Beach.
The two people on board, a 56-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, both of Hawaii, sustained minor injuries.
Both were spotted wearing flotation-vests and clinging to a wing of the plane shortly before it sank into a surfing area known as Charlie’s Reef, said Shayne Enright, a spokeswoman for the city Emergency Services Department.
Two lifeguards spotted the aircraft’s tail jutting from the reef’s waters at about 11:20 a.m., and swam to the scene — about 50 yards from shore. Shortly thereafter, a “Good Samaritan” Jet Ski operator arrived at the scene and carried all four to Makaha Beach Park, Enright said.
Responding paramedics treated the man and woman for abrasions and transported them to a hospital in stable condition.
Ocean Safety personnel are now monitoring the crash area, checking for debris and have install equipment to address a potential oil spill.
There were no swimmers in the area at the time of the crash, Enright said.
At least a few fishermen were in the area, however.
Robby Oliveros, 18, and his cousin, Austin Inabata, 21, were fishing off the shore nearby when they were warned that an airplane was about to crash.
“All of a sudden, a fisherman right next to us said, ‘head’s up, there’s a plane coming,’ and we looked up,” Oliveros said. “Then the plane was coming toward us and it took a left and it headed toward Makaha Beach. It just started gliding down into the water. It just nearly missed shore.”
Oliveros posted a photo on Twitter showing only the tail of the aircraft sticking out of the water.
“It actually came in nice and slow and looked like nothing was wrong with the plane,” Oliveros said. “From what I witnessed, it just looked like it ran out of gas or something, or maybe an engine failure.”
The plane was “quiet” as it descended and “just made a big splash. The plane was just floating and then the guy got out and he was standing on his plane,” Oliveros said.
The plane sank in water that Oliveros estimated is 20 to 30 feet deep.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.
Enright said city officials were told that the couple on the plane are from Oahu and that the flight originated on Kauai
The crash was the second involving a small plane in Hawaii today. Earlier this morning, a skydiving tour plane crashed near Port Allen Airport on Kauai, killing the five people on board.
Original article can be found here: http://www.staradvertiser.com
Ocean Safety personnel brought two people to shore that were in an aircraft that went down in waters about 100 yards offshore of the Maili side of Makaha Beach.
The incident happened about 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The FAA reports that a single-engine Beechcraft Sundowner, tail number N6697Y, reportedly experienced engine trouble while inbound to Honolulu International Airport.
The pilot landed the plane on the water.
Boater Anthony Leon saw the plane in the water.
“When we looked over, you can see it. It was still sitting on top of the water,” he told KHON2. “Then all of a sudden, it started going down, so we pulled everyone back into the boat and then we went over there. An off-duty lifeguard was out on his Jet Ski and he pulled up right at the same time as we did. He was able to get a lot closer, so he went and grabbed the two people — they were on some sort of flotation device — and he pulled them both up on the ski.”
The two people on board sustained minor injuries, according to the FAA.
The FAA and NTSB will investigate.
Story and video: http://khon2.com
MAKAHA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) -
An aircraft crashed about 30 yards off Makaha Beach Park on Monday.
There were no reports of serious injuries. Two patients were transported to the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center.
The crash is the second of an aircraft in the islands Monday. On Kauai, five people were killed when a Skydive Hawaii plane crashed near Port Allen Airport.
Twitter user Robby Oliveros said he was fishing on shore when he saw the plane go down.
He subsequently tweeted that he believed the passengers and pilot on board the plane were OK.
Original article can be found here: http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com
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