Monday, August 08, 2016

Cessna 182H Skylane, N2007X, registered to and operated by D & J Air Adventures Inc: Fatal accident occurred May 23, 2016 near Port Allen Airport (PHPA), Hanapepe, Hawaii

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Analysis

The commercial pilot and four passenger-skydivers were departing in the airplane on a local area skydiving flight in visual meteorological conditions. Witnesses observed the airplane make a normal takeoff from the runway. Two witnesses reported that, shortly after takeoff, the engine seemed to stop producing power. Subsequently, the airplane rolled to the right while rapidly losing altitude. The airplane completed about a 360° rotation and impacted terrain in a nose-down attitude.

One of the four cameras recovered from the wreckage contained a 33-second video that captured the flight from the takeoff roll through the impact. The video showed the airplane after takeoff in a positive climb and a slight left roll. About 24 seconds into the recording, the video's audio track revealed a reduction in the volume of the engine sound. Two seconds later, the airplane started to roll to the right. The movement of the camera became increasingly erratic, consistent with the airplane entering an unusual flight attitude. The engine sound continued to decrease until the airplane impacted the ground. A sound spectrum study showed that the engine rpm decreased from 2,650 to 1,215 over the final 9 seconds of the flight, consistent with a partial loss of engine power.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was estimated to be about 10 lbs above its maximum gross weight and within the center-of-gravity limits published for the maximum gross weight; therefore, weight and balance was likely not a factor in the accident.

The weather conditions at the time of takeoff were conductive to the formation of carburetor ice at glide power. Given that the airplane was operating at a high power setting at the time of takeoff, carburetor icing was unlikely.

Based on the witness observations and the onboard video recording, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain airspeed following a partial loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. The reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: 

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed following a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii
CMI; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
United States Parachute Association; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket  - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

D & J Air Adventures Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N2007X 

NTSB Identification: WPR16FA116 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Hanapepe, HI
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N2007X
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 23, 2016, about 0922 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 182H, N2007X, impacted terrain following a partial loss of engine power shortly after departure from Port Allen Airport (PAK), Hanapepe, Hawaii. The pilot and four passenger-skydivers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by D & J Air Adventures, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a skydiving flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. 

Numerous witnesses reported that the airplane departed runway 9, it began to roll to the right while rapidly losing altitude. Two witnesses stated that it seemed the engine had stopped producing power. The airplane completed about a 360° rotation and impacted terrain in a nose-low attitude. 

A video taken from a security camera located about 0.8 mile northeast of PAK showed the airplane in a climb, followed by a sudden right roll, and a rapid descent toward the terrain in a nose-down attitude. The airplane came to rest at the edge of a dirt road in a grassy area just outside the airport perimeter fence, and a postimpact fire ensued. 

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and multi-engine land ratings and an Australian private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. A first-class airman medical certificate was issued to the pilot on February 24, 2016, with no limitations. During his last medical exam, the pilot reported flight experience that included 321 total flight hours and 53.2 hours in last 6 months. A representative of the pilot's family provided a copy of the pilot's logbook, and the most recent entry in the logbook was for a flight of 1.1 hours on March 5, 2016. 

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, single-engine, high-wing, fixed landing gear airplane, serial number 18256107, was manufactured in 1965. In September 1972, the airplane was configured for parachute operations, which included removal of the front right seat and the rear seat. The modifications also included the removal of original cabin seats and installation of floor level seat belt brackets to accommodate four occupants in addition to the pilot. The airplane was powered by a Continental Motors O-470-R engine, serial number 203374-70R, rated at 230 horsepower. The airplane was also equipped with a McCauley two-bladed, constant-speed propeller. A review of maintenance records showed that the engine was installed on November 12, 2013, at a total airframe time of 10,043.7 hours. The most recent annual inspection was completed on October 13, 2015, at a total engine time of 8,121.3 hours and a total airframe time of 10,783.6 hours. The most recent maintenance activity recorded in the logbooks was a nose landing gear inspection completed on May 19, 2016, at a tachometer time of 8,353.5 hours (925 hours since engine overhaul).

Weight and balance values were calculated for the accident takeoff using the airplane's weight and balance documentation dated February 23, 2015. The input values included a presumed fuel quantity of 20 gallons (120 pounds) and an owner-provided total weight of pilot, passengers, and parachutes of 981 pounds. The takeoff gross weight was calculated to be 2,810.5 pounds with a center of gravity (CG) of 41.2 inches. Maximum allowable gross weight was 2,800 pounds, and the allowable CG range for that weight was 38.4 to 47.4 inches. 

According to the owner, the airplane was refueled on May 23, 2016, with fuel from a nearby gas station. A supplemental type certificate (STC) issued for the airplane allowed for the use of automotive gasoline; the STC did not approve the use of fuel containing ethanol. Both ethanol and ethanol-free gasolines are sold in the state of Hawaii. Hawaii does not require a placard on pumps for gasolines that contain less than 1% ethanol. According to a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) report titled "Safety Implication of Biofuels in Aviation," a fuel system that uses ethanol-mixed gasolines has a higher probability to develop vapor lock, carburetor icing, or experience a water-induced phase separation; these conditions can potentially disrupt engine operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0853, the automated weather observation for Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii, located about 17 miles northeast from PAK, reported wind from 060° at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 2,400 ft, scattered clouds at 3,000 ft, temperature 27°C, dew point 20°C, and altimeter 30.16 inches of mercury. 

According to Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, entitled "Carburetor Icing Prevention," the LIH temperature and dew point were conductive to the formation of serious icing at glide power.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The wreckage was located next to a dirt service road, about 250 ft from the departure end of runway 9, and at an elevation of about 90 ft mean sea level (msl). 

The wreckage debris path was oriented on an approximate heading of 060° magnetic and was about 24 ft in length. The first identified point of impact was a crater in the dirt road that contained the propeller hub with both blades attached; small pieces of airframe and other debris surrounded the disrupted dirt. The rest of the airplane came to rest about 7.5 ft from the propeller. The engine was displaced aft into the firewall, and both the engine and firewall were crushed aft into the cabin area by impact forces. 

The cockpit, fuselage, left wing, and forward portion of the empennage were consumed by the postcrash fire. The engine and the right wing exhibited impact and postimpact fire damage. The right wing separated from the fuselage and was displaced forward next to the cockpit area. The right horizontal stabilizer and the elevator remained attached to the empennage, and they exhibited impact and postcrash fire damage. The composite left- and right-wing tips were respectively located left and right of the main wreckage about 71 ft apart. 

During the postaccident examination, about 12 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing. The recovered fuel was clear and colorless, and a water paste test did not indicate any water contamination. No test was performed to determine whether there was ethanol in the fuel. 

The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination. 

Airframe and Engine Examination

Postimpact fire consumed the cabin and rear fuselage, the instrument panel, and the left wing. The empennage was thermally damaged. Flight control cable continuity was confirmed from each cockpit control to the associated flight control. The rudder cables, aileron cables, pitch trim cables, and the "UP" elevator cable were cut in the cabin area to facilitate wreckage recovery. The position of the carburetor heat lever could not be determined. 

Examination of the recovered engine revealed that it remained attached to the engine mount. All six cylinders remained attached to the engine and sustained damage consistent with impact damage and the postimpact fire. 

Both magnetos were displaced from their mounts and exhibited damage to their mounting flanges. The ignition harness remained attached to both magnetos and a few of the leads were separated due to pinching damage. All the leads remained attached to their respective spark plugs, and their terminal ends were secured. The drive shafts on both magnetos were capable of normal rotation, and the impulse couplings operated normally. The drive shafts were rotated, and both magnetos produced a spark at each spark plug or at the end of the damaged leads. 

All the spark plugs remained installed in their respective cylinders and were undamaged. The top spark plugs were removed, and it was noted that all top spark plug electrodes displayed normal operating and wear signatures. The internal portions of the cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. The cylinder barrels, piston faces, valves, and valve seats displayed normal operating and combustion signatures. The crankshaft was rotated manually using a hand tool that was inserted into the vacuum pump drive; thumb compression and suction were obtained on all six cylinders. In addition, engine and valve train continuity was established throughout. 

The carburetor remained attached to the engine's induction system, but it was displaced from its normal mounting area. The carburetor sustained damage consistent with impact and the postimpact fire. The mixture and throttle control levers remained secured to their respective shafts, and the control cables remained secured to the throttle and mixture control levers. Both controls could move freely. The carburetor was disassembled, and both floats were melted on the bottom of the carburetor bowl. Movement of the float attachment bracket resulted in free movement of the fuel inlet valve. Movement of the throttle arm resulted in a coinciding movement of the throttle valve and accelerator pump. The fuel inlet screen was removed and no contaminates were observed. 

The oil sump displayed deformation damage consistent with the impact forces and the postcrash fire. There were no signs of preimpact oil leaks around the oil sump. The oil pump remained attached to the rear of the engine. The oil pump housing was removed, and the gears were intact with no preaccident anomalies noted. The oil filter remained attached to the oil filter adapter and was secured with safety-wire. 

The propeller spinner was crushed inward around the propeller hub; one side of the spinner was conformed to the hub. One propeller blade exhibited leading edge damage, chordwise scratching on the camber side of the blade, and blade twist toward a lower pitch. The other blade exhibited leading edge damage but no chordwise scratching. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The complete examination reports are contained in the public docket for this accident.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Pan Pacific Pathologists, LLC, Lihue, Hawaii, completed an autopsy on the pilot and concluded that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. The results of the testing were negative for ethanol and listed drugs. 

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Video Examination

Two GoPro HERO 3 and two GoPro HERO 3+ cameras were located at the accident site and subsequently sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for review. The cameras were enclosed in fabric-type wrist mount camera straps. Each strap contained one GoPro HERO 3 and one GoPro HERO 3+ camera. Examination of the cameras revealed two pertinent memory cards; one contained a video that captured the takeoff roll and the initial climb before the beginning of the accident sequence and the other contained a video that captured takeoff roll through the impact. 

The GoPro videos revealed that the pilot sat in the left front seat and used a lap belt anchored to the floor. Instructor 1 sat on the floor to the right of the pilot with his back to the instrument panel; the right yoke had been removed. Student 1 sat on the floor between the legs of Instructor 1 facing aft. Student 2 sat on the floor between the legs of Student 1. Instructor 2 sat on the floor with his back to the pilot's seat facing aft. An external video taken by a family member of the passengers showed the floor of the airplane covered with a blue pad material. None of the videos showed the presence of restraint systems on the instructors or the students.

In a separate email correspondence, three individuals, who previously completed jumps as passenger-skydivers from the accident airplane, stated that they did not see or use seatbelts during their flights.

Throughout the first 13 seconds of the GoPro video recording that captured the impact, the airplane was observed rolling down the runway. Both flaps were retracted, and the left aileron trailing edge appeared above the left flap trailing edge. In addition, the video captured a fully extended windsock which was consistent with wind from the northeast. About 13 seconds after the airplane started to roll, it became airborne. The airplane was observed in a positive climb and a slight roll to the left. Around 24 seconds into the recording, an audio portion revealed a reduction in the volume of the engine sound, which continued to decrease until the airplane impacted the ground. (A sound spectrum study was conducted and is discussed separately in this report.) About 26 seconds into the recording, the trailing edge of the left aileron was observed below the position of the left flap trailing edge, which is consistent with a right roll command. As time progressed, the right roll increased. The camera was then panned inside the airplane toward the rear cabin area. In the next few seconds, the camera movement became increasingly erratic. The airplane impacted the ground about 33 second after the recording started. 

Sound Spectrum Study

The audio track of the video that captured the impact was evaluated to determine the engine operating speed from the takeoff roll to the impact. During the first 25 seconds of the video, the engine speed was about 2,650 rpm, and then it began to decrease. At 26 seconds, the engine rpm was about 2,250. At 27 seconds, the engine rpm dropped to about 1,700. At 30 seconds, the engine rpm dropped to about 1,400. By the time of impact, the engine rpm had decreased to about 1,215. A stall warning horn was not heard on the recording. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

According to the FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B), Chapter 17 "Emergency Procedures", if an engine failure occurs on takeoff, a pilot should establish a proper glide attitude and select a landing area straight ahead with only small changes in direction.


NTSB Identification: WPR16FA116
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Hanapepe, HI
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N2007X
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On May 23, 2016 about 0922 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 182H, N2007X, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after departure from Port Allen (PAK), Hanapepe, Hawaii. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, D & J Air Adventures, Inc., as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 flight as a part of the skydiving flight operation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan filed. The local flight originated from PAK at about 0921.

Multiple witnesses reported that shortly after takeoff, about 150 feet above ground level, the airplane made a sudden right turn, descended, and impacted terrain. A post crash fire ensued. 

After the on-site documentation, the wreckage was recovered to a secured facility for further examination.

Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov,  and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.


In this 2015 photo provided by Laura Bettis, her son Marshall Cabe, right, takes a self-portrait of himself and his brother Phillip Cabe in Houston, Texas. The brothers were among five killed in a Hawaii plane crash in May. They were about to go skydiving when the single-engine plane crashed soon after takeoff. Their parents are suing the skydiving tour company. The lawsuit was filed Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, so that the parents can find out why the plane's engine failed.


HONOLULU (AP) — The parents of two Oklahoma brothers who were among five people killed in a Hawaii plane crash filed a negligence lawsuit Monday against the skydiving company that owned the single-engine aircraft.

Marshall and Phillip Cabe were about to go skydiving in May when the Cessna crashed and burned soon after taking off from a Kauai airport.

"This lawsuit is going to hopefully find out why the engine failed," said Honolulu attorney Rick Fried, who filed the case in state court against D&J Adventures Inc.

Company owner David Timko declined to comment.

Pilot Damien Horan and skydiving instructors Enzo Amitrano and Wayne Rose also died in the crash.

Witnesses told National Transportation Safety Board investigators the plane was 150 feet in the air when it made a sudden right turn, descended and hit the ground.

The brothers had both graduated from college recently, and their father Michael Cabe was giving them the joint skydiving trip as a present, Fried said.

The father, a general contractor on Kauai, ran to the burning wreckage and tried to pull them out while administering CPR.

Marshall Cabe, 25, was an athlete who played rugby, soccer and softball, Fried said. His brother Phillip Cabe, 27, was an artist who painted and played piano and guitar. He was in the Air National Guard and had deployed to the Middle East.

The brothers graduated from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, in December.

They had a close bond, their mother Laura Bettis, a bank manager in Oklahoma, said through tears.

"They were just out of college. They had their whole lives ahead of them," Fried said. "The father witnessing this.  You can't imagine what he went through having seen that. It was just horrific."


Source:  http://www.dailyprogress.com




HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Three former Skydive Kauai pilots said they were concerned about the airworthiness of the plane that crashed Monday just after takeoff, killing all five people on board.

"I didn't feel comfortable flying that plane myself," said one pilot.

Two of the pilots said they quit rather than go up in the 51-year-old plane again. The third said he left Skydive Kauai in 2012 when he asked to see the plane's maintenance logs and was fired.

Hawaii News Now granted the three pilots anonymity.

The pilot who said he was fired said that he had experienced a minor maintenance issue with the airplane and lost oil pressure in the engine.

"Luckily, I was on the ground," he said.

The pilot said Skydive Kauai's owner subsequently refused to show him the maintenance log books for the aircraft. "It kind of made me wonder something was going on with the airplane," he said.

Skydive Kauai owner David Timko, who has headed the company since 2005, said the company has a "perfect safety record."

The plane that crashed Monday had no prior incidents in the last 11 years.

Authorities said the Cessna 182H had just taken off about 9:30 a.m. Monday when it ran into trouble. A witness said he could hear the engine sputtering, and saw the plane beginning to turn back toward the airport when the engines cut out and the aircraft burst into flames.

On board were two brothers from Oklahoma who were to skydive, two tandem skydive instructors, and a pilot.

The NTSB is investigating the crash.

Attorney Rick Fried, who has handled a number of wrongful death lawsuits over plane crashes, said the maintenance records of the aircraft will be a focus of the federal investigation that's now underway.

"With the severity of the incident, I think they'll look at all that very closely, he said.


http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com



Damien Jimmy Horan

An Irish pilot who was among five people killed in a horrific Hawaii plane crash died “doing what he loved”, friends have said.

Damien Jimmy Horan, from Tullamore in Co Offaly, was the pilot of a plane that was being used for skydivers when it crashed on Kauai island at around 9.30am local time on Monday.

Four other people also died in the tragedy- two Skydive Kauai instructors and two tandem jumpers- there were no survivors.

Sources said that the community in Tullamore are stunned as the news of 30-year-old Jimmy’s sudden death broke.

Local Cllr Thomas McKeigue told The Irish Mirror: “His family would be well-known in the area, his mother is an American woman and his family are stonecutters here for generations and would do gravestones.

“They would also be involved in a printing business and they have a small farm.

“They are a well-known, well-liked, decent and hard-working family. The whole community will rally around the Horan family.

“To lose a young person is always terrible, and in those circumstances and when he was in the full bloom of health and the full blooms of his life is just tragic.

“It’ll be a very hard blow for his family to take.”

Mr. Horan grew up in Offaly and is only recently thought to have moved to Hawaii, he also lived in Australia in recent years.

His devastated family were said to be making preparations to travel to Hawaii today.

Loved ones took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Horan.

One person said: “I can’t believe it, I’m still waiting for someone to call and tell me it was all just some kind of sick joke!

“Never have I met such a driven genuine bloke! My heart feels like it’s shattered into a million pieces you were such a great friend, you never judged me and you were always there to lend an ear when I needed you!

“I’ll forever cherish the times we had together! Until we meet again!”

Another added: “To a true gent, may you rest in peace.”

Meanwhile, eye witnesses told Hawaii News Now that the Cessna 182H model plane had just taken off when it ran into trouble.

Cisco Campos, a retired Air Force aircraft mechanic, said the plane was only feet off the ground when the engine started to sputter and fail.

He explained that the plane seemed to be turning back when it burst into flames.

He added that it looked like it “fell out of the sky” and exploded as it hit the ground.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating what happened.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that they are providing consular assistance to Mr Horan’s family.

Original article can be found here: http://www.irishmirror.ie

HANAPEPE — Four victims of Monday’s plane crash at the Port Allen Airport have been identified by friends and family.

Enzo Amitrano, Wayne Rose, and brothers Marshall and Phillip Cabe died in the accident. The pilot has not been identified.

Rose, 27, and Amitrano, 43, were skydiving instructors at Skydive Kauai. It is believed the men were tandem jumping with Marshall and Phillip Cabe, from Oklahoma, when the single-engine Cessna 182H crashed and burned about 9:30 a.m.

Since the crash, friends and family members have taken to social media to offer condolences and remember their loved ones.

Autumn Rose, Wayne Rose’s twin sister, was one of them.

“My twin brother was my hero. He was kind, genuine, smart, funny, fearless, and full of life and love. He chased his dreams and never settled for an ordinary life, and he encouraged everyone around him to do the same,” she said on Facebook. “Blue skies, fly free, brother, you handsome devil. I love you more than words could ever convey and I’ll carry you with me and make you proud every single day I’m blessed to walk the Earth.”

Rose said her brother was her rock.

“(He was) always there to support me in a way only a brother, and I suspect only a twin brother, can,” she said. “But then again, I think he did that for everyone he cared about. Each and every one of us was beyond blessed to know and love him.”

David Schmidt, who worked with Amitrano at the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Wisconsin, said in a Facebook post Amitrano was a gift to all who knew him.

“(He was) an amazingly gifted comic and a laid back, amazingly positive human being who I never heard a harsh word for anyone from,” he said. “More times than I can count, when my personal life was rough I asked myself “What would Enzo do?” He’d brush it off, and go out and make some people laugh. And I tried to do the same.”

Bill Freeze, who visited Kauai from Utah in February, met both men when he and his daughter went skydiving for their shared Leap Year birthdays. Amitrano and Rose were their instructors.
Freeze jumped twice with Amitrano, who had been skydiving for 20 years.

“I had trust in Enzo. He knew everything about the sport and Kauai,” Freeze said. “As others will tell you, skydiving can be scary and both of these men knew how to put you at ease by describing things as the plane climbed to 10,000 feet.

Freeze’s daughters, Amy and Camille, both jumped with Rose, who had been skydiving for about 10 years.

“I will always remember the smiles and laughs of these two guys,” Freeze said. “They loved life and I believe experienced it to the fullest every day by giving people thrills and memories that they would never forget.”

The Cabe brothers were recent graduates from Cameron University, in Lawton, Oklahoma. Marshall graduated fall 2015, while Phillip graduated spring 2016, said Elijay Morlett, a high school friend of Phillip, and a fellow member of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity.

“Marshall and Phillip were great men and outstanding fraternity brothers,” Morlett wrote to The Garden Island Tuesday. “They both would go out of their way to help others and were such positive individuals in so many lives.”

Aaron Walker, one of Marshall’s pledge brothers, said he was lively, charismatic, a jester and caring.

“He was the life of the party. He was good at every sport I seen him play. Soccer was his favorite, but we often played basketball together or ran football routes,” Walker said. “He has an incredible amount of determination and devotion. He was never scared to do anything or try anything new.”

Keysha Wilson, who was close with Phillip, will miss his contagious laugh and his down-to-Earth personality.

“He stood up for what he believed in and dreamed big,” Wilson said. “He left a positive impact on everyone with whom he crossed paths.”

Wilson added the brothers were a strong team.

“They both lit up a room whenever they walked in,” she said. “Their brotherly love was beautiful.”

A GoFundMe account has been started to help the family for funeral expenses. As of Tuesday afternoon, 40 people had donated $3,050.

An investigation by The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA continues into the cause of the crash. On Tuesday, investigators were reviewing records and the burned wreckage of the plane.

A witness said that shortly after the plane took off, the plane’s engine seemed to quit and catch fire. The plane appeared to be turning back when it went straight down and exploded as it hit the ground.

As of Tuesday, there were no records of accidents for the owner of the skydiving plane, which is registered under the name D&J Air Adventures. There also are no reports of enforcement actions against David Timko, the owner of Skydive Kauai.

Original article can be found here: http://thegardenisland.com








HANAPEPE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) -  Two brothers visiting from Oklahoma were among the five killed Monday when a Skydive Kauai plane crashed shortly after takeoff.

Marshall and Phillip Cabe had recently graduated from Cameron University in Lawton, Okla., HNN's sister station KSWO reported.

On social media, friends remembered the two as warm and outgoing. 

A friend of the brothers who set up a GoFundMe account said the two were "great people who will be genuinely missed."

The two were to tandem jump on the plane, which was also carrying two skydive instructors and a pilot.

Authorities said the Cessna 182H had just taken off about 9:30 a.m. Monday when it ran into trouble.

A witness said he could hear the engine sputtering, and saw the plane beginning to turn back toward the airport when the engine cut out and the aircraft burst into flames.

The plane "fell out of the sky," said Cisco Campos, who was fishing nearby when he saw the crash. He said it exploded on impact.

The crash sent plumes of heavy smoke into the air, and sparked a small brush fire. The NTSB is investigating the crash.

Also among those on the plane was skydiving instructor Enzo Amitrano, 43. His family described him as a fun and outgoing husband, brother and friend.

"He was just the kind of guy who was easy to get along with," said his brother, Marco. "He was really outgoing, super-friendly. It's like one of those really charismatic personalities that would draw people in. He was always the center of groups he was in."

Amitrano, who spent years working as a skydiving instructor in Chicago, is survived by his wife.

A fourth victim was identified by a family member as 27-year-old Wayne Rose, a tandem instructor at Skydive Kauai.

His twin sister, Autumn Rose, wrote on Facebook that he was “kind, genuine, smart, funny, fearless, and full of life and love.” He is also survived by his wife, Kaela Lynn Rose.

The identities of the victims have not been officially released.

Story and video:  http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com







 ‘An incredibly sad day’

HANAPEPE — Five people were killed in a plane crash at the Port Allen Airport Monday morning.

The single-engine Cessna 182H owned by Skydive Kauai had just taken off for skydive tour around 9:30 a.m. when it crashed and burned.

A pilot, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers were on board, according to a release from the Kauai Fire Department.

Four of the passengers were pronounced dead on the scene. A man was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to a county release.

“My condolences go out to the family,” said Dave Timko, president of Skydive Kauai. He declined further comment.

The crash also resulted in a small brush fire, which was extinguished by KFD firefighters by 10:30 a.m., the release said.

The Kauai Police Department, the Salvation Army, the Kauai Red Cross and Life’s Bridges also responded.

“Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims’ family and loved ones. (Monday was) an incredibly sad day for our close-knit community here on Kauai,” Mayor Bernard Carvalho said.

The identities of the passengers have not been officially released.

Hawaii News Now identified one of the victims as Enzo Amitrano, 43, a skydiving instructor.

He and his wife, Shannon, were the subject of a March 8, 2011 story in The Garden Island after their home was damaged in a fire while they were on their honeymoon in the Kalalau Valley.

Friends were posting condolences on Facebook.

“My heart goes out to Shannon Bre Amitrano we lost a great man in Enzo,” posted a friend. “He will truly be missed. to Enzo who is fishing and skydiving in heaven. love you. god bless ur gonna be missed.

One witness quoted by news agencies said the plane had just taken off when the engine seemed to quit.

Cisco Campos said the plane looked like it was turning back to the airport when it caught fire, went straight down and crashed.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the cause of the crash.

There are several standards and regulations skydive operations have to adhere to, said Ian Gregor, public affairs manager for FAA Pacific Division.

“Aircraft and pilots engaged in skydiving operations have to meet essentially the same standards as aircraft and pilots engaged in other charter operations,” he said. “For example, aircraft must be inspected at specific intervals, and pilots must have at least commercial pilot licenses.”

Other operating standards, as set out by FAA, include: displaying a maintenance log on every aircraft and a cockpit checklist.

Skydive Kauai is listed in FAA documents as D&J Air Adventures.

The company owns three Cessna’s, according to FAA records.

Skydive Kauai, which operates out of the Port Allen Airport, is the only skydiving company on the island, said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau.

It’s been operating for about eight years, she added.

“Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by this tragedy. We stand ready to assist Life’s Bridges with any needs they have in assisting the families,” Kanoho said.

In his book “The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook,” Andrew Doughty voiced concerns about the Port Allen location and the age of the aircraft.

Doughty, a pilot, who reviewed Skydive Kauai for his book, wrote that because Port Allen is a peninsula, it’s shifting winds can make landing difficult, he said.

The plane that crashed was reportedly built in 1965.

“Their plane doesn’t exactly inspire confidence,” the review from the “Ultimate Kauai Guidebook” reads.

But Doughty emphasized that his concerns were about location, not about the operations.

“Skydiving isn’t an unsafe thing,” he said. “This wasn’t a skydiving accident, it was an airplane crash.”

Bill Freeze, a Utah resident who went on a skydive tour through Skydive Kauai in February, said in his experience, all of the employees at Skydive Kauai were highly trained.

“We had a phenomenal experience,” he said. “They did everything by the book, and everything went exactly as planned.”

Original article can be found here: http://thegardenisland.com


Five people died after a skydiving tour plane crashed and caught fire in Hawaii, one of two plane crashes reported Monday in the islands.

It happened about 9:30 a.m. on the island of Kauai, the county fire department said. The pilot, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers were believed to be on the plane.

Four of them were pronounced dead at the crash site, just outside Port Allen Airport. One man was taken to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The group was believed to have been part of a tour operated by SkyDive Kauai, county firefighters said. The company offers tours from Port Allen.

SkyDive Kauai is listed in state documents as a trade name for D & J Air Adventures, which FAA records identify as the registered owner of the aircraft.

Company President David Timko said he didn't have any comment because the crash is under investigation. But he said he offers his condolences to the families of those killed.

Kauai firefighters said the identities of the dead haven't been released.

The National Transportation Safety Board will work with officials to determine the cause of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration will also investigate.

The plane was a Cessna 182H Skylane, FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said. It's unclear what led to the crash.

A few hours later Monday off the coast of the island of Oahu, emergency responders took one person to a nearby hospital after a small aircraft crashed in the water off Makaha Beach Park.

County lifeguards brought two people to shore from a single engine aircraft that was about 30 yards off the coast, Honolulu Fire Department Capt. David Jenkins said.

The other person in the airplane wasn't injured, Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright said.

State Department of Health data shows 20 visitors died in aircraft crashes in Hawaii from 2005 to 2014, including one skydiver. The others were killed in plane, helicopter and light sport aircraft crashes. Over the same period, 24 residents were killed in air crashes, including four skydivers.



Fire officials have confirmed that five adults have died in a plane crash that occurred just outside the fence line of Port Allen Airport, also known as Burns Field, in Hanapepe.

The FAA reports that the single-engine Cessna 182H crashed under unknown circumstances while taking off at approximately 9:30 a.m. The plane caught fire after crashing.

County officials say the plane was owned by Skydive Kauai, which operates out of the airport. It is believed that the company was conducting a skydive tour at the time of the crash and had a pilot, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers on board.

Four individuals were pronounced dead at the scene and one adult male was transported to Wilcox Hospital, where he was then pronounced dead.

The names of those involved in the crash have not yet been confirmed. An autopsy will be conducted this week.

Cisco Campos, who witnessed the crash, said the plane was just a couple of minutes into its flight after taking off when “all of a sudden, the engine just knocked off. They was trying to turn back in, but the thing went straight down. When it was going straight down, the flames came out of the engine.”

The crash resulted in a small brush fire in the surrounding area, which firefighters had extinguished by approximately 10:30 a.m. with the help of Air 1 and two water tenders provided by the Department of Public Works.

Representatives from the Hawaii Department of Transportation Airports Division was also on scene and the Kauai Civil Defense Agency assisted with the coordination of emergency response.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been notified of the incident and will work with officials to help determine the cause of the crash.

Volunteers from Life’s Bridges, a grief counseling service, is assisting the families of the victims.

The public is advised to avoid the area.


Story and video:  http://khon2.com




Five people died after a sky-diving airplane crashed and burned while taking off from the Port Allen Airport, also known as Burns Field, in Hanapepe, this morning.

Kauai County officials said the “fiery plane crash” occurred at about 9:30 a.m. Four people were pronounced dead at the scene and one man was transported to Wilcox Hospital, where he died, a county official said.

Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said a single-engine Cessna 182H crashed while taking off at the Port Allen Airport at about 9:30 a.m. The plane caught fire after crashing, Gregor said.

The Cessna 182H can hold four passengers and a pilot. The plane was registered to Skydive Kauai, according to Kauai Fire Department officials.

The passengers were part of a skydiving tour. The pilot, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers were believed to be in the plane at the time of the crash, Kauai Fire Department officials said.

The plane is registered to a Koloa company called D & J Air Adventures. The company’s registered agent David Timko said Monday he didn’t have any comment because the crash is under investigation. But he says he offers his condolences to the families of those killed, according to the Associated Press.

The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will be investigating the crash, officials said. An autopsy will be conducted this week, according to fire officials.

County officials said fire rescue crews and police were sent to the scene. The crash ignited a small brush fire in the crash area, which was extinguished by 10:30 a.m. Officials asked the public to stay away from the area.

According to a state website, Port Allen Airport is used for helicopter tours, ultralight aircraft traffic and skydiving, and is restricted to aircraft weighing less than 12,500 pounds.

The Kauai crash was the first of two plane accidents in Hawaii today; later this morning, a small plane with two people on board crashed in the waters off Makaha. No major injuries were reported in that crash.

Original article can be found here: http://www.staradvertiser.com
















HANAPEPE, Hawaii -  Tragedy on Kauai.  Five people are dead after a fiery plane crash near the Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe on Monday.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. 

Authorities allowed us to get a little bit closer to the crash site.  The corner of a burned out field is what remains of the plane that crashed Monday morning.  A tragedy not just for families of the victims, but also the entire community. 

The crash happened around 9:30 a.m.  The FAA says the circumstances behind the tragedy are not known.  An FAA spokesman told KITV the plane caught fire after it crashed not too far from the airport. 

Many people wiping tears as they waited for answers near the crash site.

"Whenever something like this happens, there's a pebble in the pond effect.  This is a small locally-owned business, and there's a tremendous amount of people who are just saddened by this," said Gina Kaulukukui from Life's Bridges.

The FAA says five people were on board -- four died at the scene; one died at the hospital. The Kaua'i Fire Department says a pilot, two skydiving instructors, and two tandem divers were believed to on board the Cessna 182H aircraft. 

"I don't know whether they were tourists or local, but it was the pilot and two tandem jumpers that were visitors and then the two staff from Skydive Kaua'i that they were jumping with," said Kauai Fire Chief Robert Westerman.

KSWO, the ABC affiliate in Texas and Oklahoma, is reporting that brothers Marshall and Philip Cabe were on the plane.  They are from Oklahoma.  Officials have not yet released the identities of the others who were on the plane.

This model is a single-engine, 4-seater plane.  FAA records show the plane is registered under "D&J Air Adventures."  The Kaua'i Fire Department says it was owned by Skydive Kaua'i.

It's going to take investigators some time to figure out exactly why this plane crashed.

Story and video:  http://www.kitv.com
Pilot Damien Jimmy Horan


Skydiving instructor Enzo Amitrano 

 Brothers Marshall and Phillip Cabe


Wayne Rose


The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Honolulu, Hawaii
CMI; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
United States Parachute Association; Fredericksburg, Virginia

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket  - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

D & J Air Adventures Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N2007X 




NTSB Identification: WPR16FA116 

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Hanapepe, HI
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N2007X
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.


HISTORY OF FLIGHT


On May 23, 2016, about 0922 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 182H, N2007X, impacted terrain following a partial loss of engine power shortly after departure from Port Allen Airport (PAK), Hanapepe, Hawaii. The pilot and four passenger-skydivers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by D & J Air Adventures, Inc., under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a skydiving flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. 


Numerous witnesses reported that the airplane departed runway 9, it began to roll to the right while rapidly losing altitude. Two witnesses stated that it seemed the engine had stopped producing power. The airplane completed about a 360° rotation and impacted terrain in a nose-low attitude. 


A video taken from a security camera located about 0.8 mile northeast of PAK showed the airplane in a climb, followed by a sudden right roll, and a rapid descent toward the terrain in a nose-down attitude. The airplane came to rest at the edge of a dirt road in a grassy area just outside the airport perimeter fence, and a postimpact fire ensued. 




PERSONNEL INFORMATION


The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and multi-engine land ratings and an Australian private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. A first-class airman medical certificate was issued to the pilot on February 24, 2016, with no limitations. During his last medical exam, the pilot reported flight experience that included 321 total flight hours and 53.2 hours in last 6 months. A representative of the pilot's family provided a copy of the pilot's logbook, and the most recent entry in the logbook was for a flight of 1.1 hours on March 5, 2016. 


AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, single-engine, high-wing, fixed landing gear airplane, serial number 18256107, was manufactured in 1965. In September 1972, the airplane was configured for parachute operations, which included removal of the front right seat and the rear seat. The modifications also included the removal of original cabin seats and installation of floor level seat belt brackets to accommodate four occupants in addition to the pilot. The airplane was powered by a Continental Motors O-470-R engine, serial number 203374-70R, rated at 230 horsepower. The airplane was also equipped with a McCauley two-bladed, constant-speed propeller. A review of maintenance records showed that the engine was installed on November 12, 2013, at a total airframe time of 10,043.7 hours. The most recent annual inspection was completed on October 13, 2015, at a total engine time of 8,121.3 hours and a total airframe time of 10,783.6 hours. The most recent maintenance activity recorded in the logbooks was a nose landing gear inspection completed on May 19, 2016, at a tachometer time of 8,353.5 hours (925 hours since engine overhaul).


Weight and balance values were calculated for the accident takeoff using the airplane's weight and balance documentation dated February 23, 2015. The input values included a presumed fuel quantity of 20 gallons (120 pounds) and an owner-provided total weight of pilot, passengers, and parachutes of 981 pounds. The takeoff gross weight was calculated to be 2,810.5 pounds with a center of gravity (CG) of 41.2 inches. Maximum allowable gross weight was 2,800 pounds, and the allowable CG range for that weight was 38.4 to 47.4 inches. 


According to the owner, the airplane was refueled on May 23, 2016, with fuel from a nearby gas station. A supplemental type certificate (STC) issued for the airplane allowed for the use of automotive gasoline; the STC did not approve the use of fuel containing ethanol. Both ethanol and ethanol-free gasolines are sold in the state of Hawaii. Hawaii does not require a placard on pumps for gasolines that contain less than 1% ethanol. According to a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) report titled "Safety Implication of Biofuels in Aviation," a fuel system that uses ethanol-mixed gasolines has a higher probability to develop vapor lock, carburetor icing, or experience a water-induced phase separation; these conditions can potentially disrupt engine operation.




METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION


At 0853, the automated weather observation for Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii, located about 17 miles northeast from PAK, reported wind from 060° at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 2,400 ft, scattered clouds at 3,000 ft, temperature 27°C, dew point 20°C, and altimeter 30.16 inches of mercury. 


According to Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, entitled "Carburetor Icing Prevention," the LIH temperature and dew point were conductive to the formation of serious icing at glide power.





WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION


The wreckage was located next to a dirt service road, about 250 ft from the departure end of runway 9, and at an elevation of about 90 ft mean sea level (msl). 


The wreckage debris path was oriented on an approximate heading of 060° magnetic and was about 24 ft in length. The first identified point of impact was a crater in the dirt road that contained the propeller hub with both blades attached; small pieces of airframe and other debris surrounded the disrupted dirt. The rest of the airplane came to rest about 7.5 ft from the propeller. The engine was displaced aft into the firewall, and both the engine and firewall were crushed aft into the cabin area by impact forces. 


The cockpit, fuselage, left wing, and forward portion of the empennage were consumed by the postcrash fire. The engine and the right wing exhibited impact and postimpact fire damage. The right wing separated from the fuselage and was displaced forward next to the cockpit area. The right horizontal stabilizer and the elevator remained attached to the empennage, and they exhibited impact and postcrash fire damage. The composite left- and right-wing tips were respectively located left and right of the main wreckage about 71 ft apart. 


During the postaccident examination, about 12 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing. The recovered fuel was clear and colorless, and a water paste test did not indicate any water contamination. No test was performed to determine whether there was ethanol in the fuel. 


The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination. 




Airframe and Engine Examination


Postimpact fire consumed the cabin and rear fuselage, the instrument panel, and the left wing. The empennage was thermally damaged. Flight control cable continuity was confirmed from each cockpit control to the associated flight control. The rudder cables, aileron cables, pitch trim cables, and the "UP" elevator cable were cut in the cabin area to facilitate wreckage recovery. The position of the carburetor heat lever could not be determined. 


Examination of the recovered engine revealed that it remained attached to the engine mount. All six cylinders remained attached to the engine and sustained damage consistent with impact damage and the postimpact fire. 


Both magnetos were displaced from their mounts and exhibited damage to their mounting flanges. The ignition harness remained attached to both magnetos and a few of the leads were separated due to pinching damage. All the leads remained attached to their respective spark plugs, and their terminal ends were secured. The drive shafts on both magnetos were capable of normal rotation, and the impulse couplings operated normally. The drive shafts were rotated, and both magnetos produced a spark at each spark plug or at the end of the damaged leads. 


All the spark plugs remained installed in their respective cylinders and were undamaged. The top spark plugs were removed, and it was noted that all top spark plug electrodes displayed normal operating and wear signatures. The internal portions of the cylinders were inspected using a lighted borescope. The cylinder barrels, piston faces, valves, and valve seats displayed normal operating and combustion signatures. The crankshaft was rotated manually using a hand tool that was inserted into the vacuum pump drive; thumb compression and suction were obtained on all six cylinders. In addition, engine and valve train continuity was established throughout. 


The carburetor remained attached to the engine's induction system, but it was displaced from its normal mounting area. The carburetor sustained damage consistent with impact and the postimpact fire. The mixture and throttle control levers remained secured to their respective shafts, and the control cables remained secured to the throttle and mixture control levers. Both controls could move freely. The carburetor was disassembled, and both floats were melted on the bottom of the carburetor bowl. Movement of the float attachment bracket resulted in free movement of the fuel inlet valve. Movement of the throttle arm resulted in a coinciding movement of the throttle valve and accelerator pump. The fuel inlet screen was removed and no contaminates were observed. 


The oil sump displayed deformation damage consistent with the impact forces and the postcrash fire. There were no signs of preimpact oil leaks around the oil sump. The oil pump remained attached to the rear of the engine. The oil pump housing was removed, and the gears were intact with no preaccident anomalies noted. The oil filter remained attached to the oil filter adapter and was secured with safety-wire. 


The propeller spinner was crushed inward around the propeller hub; one side of the spinner was conformed to the hub. One propeller blade exhibited leading edge damage, chordwise scratching on the camber side of the blade, and blade twist toward a lower pitch. The other blade exhibited leading edge damage but no chordwise scratching. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The complete examination reports are contained in the public docket for this accident.




MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION


Pan Pacific Pathologists, LLC, Lihue, Hawaii, completed an autopsy on the pilot and concluded that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. The results of the testing were negative for ethanol and listed drugs. 


TESTS AND RESEARCH


Video Examination


Two GoPro HERO 3 and two GoPro HERO 3+ cameras were located at the accident site and subsequently sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for review. The cameras were enclosed in fabric-type wrist mount camera straps. Each strap contained one GoPro HERO 3 and one GoPro HERO 3+ camera. Examination of the cameras revealed two pertinent memory cards; one contained a video that captured the takeoff roll and the initial climb before the beginning of the accident sequence and the other contained a video that captured takeoff roll through the impact. 


The GoPro videos revealed that the pilot sat in the left front seat and used a lap belt anchored to the floor. Instructor 1 sat on the floor to the right of the pilot with his back to the instrument panel; the right yoke had been removed. Student 1 sat on the floor between the legs of Instructor 1 facing aft. Student 2 sat on the floor between the legs of Student 1. Instructor 2 sat on the floor with his back to the pilot's seat facing aft. An external video taken by a family member of the passengers showed the floor of the airplane covered with a blue pad material. None of the videos showed the presence of restraint systems on the instructors or the students.


In a separate email correspondence, three individuals, who previously completed jumps as passenger-skydivers from the accident airplane, stated that they did not see or use seatbelts during their flights.


Throughout the first 13 seconds of the GoPro video recording that captured the impact, the airplane was observed rolling down the runway. Both flaps were retracted, and the left aileron trailing edge appeared above the left flap trailing edge. In addition, the video captured a fully extended windsock which was consistent with wind from the northeast. About 13 seconds after the airplane started to roll, it became airborne. The airplane was observed in a positive climb and a slight roll to the left. Around 24 seconds into the recording, an audio portion revealed a reduction in the volume of the engine sound, which continued to decrease until the airplane impacted the ground. (A sound spectrum study was conducted and is discussed separately in this report.) About 26 seconds into the recording, the trailing edge of the left aileron was observed below the position of the left flap trailing edge, which is consistent with a right roll command. As time progressed, the right roll increased. The camera was then panned inside the airplane toward the rear cabin area. In the next few seconds, the camera movement became increasingly erratic. The airplane impacted the ground about 33 second after the recording started. 




Sound Spectrum Study


The audio track of the video that captured the impact was evaluated to determine the engine operating speed from the takeoff roll to the impact. During the first 25 seconds of the video, the engine speed was about 2,650 rpm, and then it began to decrease. At 26 seconds, the engine rpm was about 2,250. At 27 seconds, the engine rpm dropped to about 1,700. At 30 seconds, the engine rpm dropped to about 1,400. By the time of impact, the engine rpm had decreased to about 1,215. A stall warning horn was not heard on the recording. 


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 


According to the FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B), Chapter 17 "Emergency Procedures", if an engine failure occurs on takeoff, a pilot should establish a proper glide attitude and select a landing area straight ahead with only small changes in direction.






NTSB Identification: WPR16FA116
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Hanapepe, HI
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N2007X
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On May 23, 2016 about 0922 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 182H, N2007X, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after departure from Port Allen (PAK), Hanapepe, Hawaii. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, D & J Air Adventures, Inc., as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 flight as a part of the skydiving flight operation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan filed. The local flight originated from PAK at about 0921.

Multiple witnesses reported that shortly after takeoff, about 150 feet above ground level, the airplane made a sudden right turn, descended, and impacted terrain. A post crash fire ensued. 

After the on-site documentation, the wreckage was recovered to a secured facility for further examination. Parents of Oklahoma brothers sue over Hawaii skydiving crash


In this 2015 photo provided by Laura Bettis, her son Marshall Cabe, right, takes a self-portrait of himself and his brother Phillip Cabe in Houston, Texas. The brothers were among five killed in a Hawaii plane crash in May. They were about to go skydiving when the single-engine plane crashed soon after takeoff. Their parents are suing the skydiving tour company. The lawsuit was filed Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, so that the parents can find out why the plane's engine failed.



HONOLULU (AP) — The parents of two Oklahoma brothers who were among five people killed in a Hawaii plane crash filed a negligence lawsuit Monday against the skydiving company that owned the single-engine aircraft.

Marshall and Phillip Cabe were about to go skydiving in May when the Cessna crashed and burned soon after taking off from a Kauai airport.

"This lawsuit is going to hopefully find out why the engine failed," said Honolulu attorney Rick Fried, who filed the case in state court against D&J Adventures Inc.

Company owner David Timko declined to comment.

Pilot Damien Horan and skydiving instructors Enzo Amitrano and Wayne Rose also died in the crash.

Witnesses told National Transportation Safety Board investigators the plane was 150 feet in the air when it made a sudden right turn, descended and hit the ground.

The brothers had both graduated from college recently, and their father Michael Cabe was giving them the joint skydiving trip as a present, Fried said.

The father, a general contractor on Kauai, ran to the burning wreckage and tried to pull them out while administering CPR.

Marshall Cabe, 25, was an athlete who played rugby, soccer and softball, Fried said. His brother Phillip Cabe, 27, was an artist who painted and played piano and guitar. He was in the Air National Guard and had deployed to the Middle East.

The brothers graduated from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, in December.

They had a close bond, their mother Laura Bettis, a bank manager in Oklahoma, said through tears.

"They were just out of college. They had their whole lives ahead of them," Fried said. "The father witnessing this.  You can't imagine what he went through having seen that. It was just horrific."

Source:  http://www.dailyprogress.com 

D & J AIR ADVENTURES INC: http://registry.faa.gov/N2007X 

FAA Flight Standards District Office:  FAA Honolulu FSDO-13

14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Hanapepe, HI
Aircraft: CESSNA 182, registration: N2007X
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

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 either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On May 23, 2016 about 0922 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 182H, N2007X, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after departure from Port Allen (PAK), Hanapepe, Hawaii. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, D & J Air Adventures, Inc., as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 flight as a part of the skydiving flight operation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan filed. The local flight originated from PAK at about 0921.

Multiple witnesses reported that shortly after takeoff, about 150 feet above ground level, the airplane made a sudden right turn, descended, and impacted terrain. A post crash fire ensued. 

After the on-site documentation, the wreckage was recovered to a secured facility for further examination.