# Accident 20001129026879A: Wsk PZL104, Kaunakaki, HI, November 29, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 29, 2000, 16:30 local time
- Place: Kaunakaki, HI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 21.0793° N, 157.0097° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.0793&lon=-157.0097&mi=10
- Aircraft: N112B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N112B-2001-05-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Wsk-Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 WILGA 80 (registry code 9810280, https://openairdocs.org/model/wsk-pzl-warzawa-okecie-pzl-104-wilga-80) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WSK PZL104
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,631 total, 79 in this make and model, 107 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001129026879A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON A SOLO PLEASURE FLIGHT, AND WAS APPROX. 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE MOLOKAI AIRPORT, HE DECIDED TO FLY UP A CANYON THAT'S JUST ABOVE THE KAWELA AREA ON THE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI, HI. WHILE APPROACHING THE RIDGE HE STATED THAT THE A/C JUST STARTED TO SINK. HE ADDED POWER, BUT HE FELT THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE IT. HE IMPACTED NEAR AN AREA OF KAPULEI. HE STATED THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED STRONG DOWN DRAFTS. (-19) ON NOVEMBER 29, 2000, AT 1650 HOURS HAWAIIAN STANDARD TIME, A WSK-PZL WARZAWA-OKECIE PZL-104 WILGA 80, N112B, IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A REMOTE AREA UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MOLOKAI AIRPORT, KAUNAKAKAI, HAWAII.  THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE COMMERCIAL PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED THE HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, HONOLULU, HAWAII, AT 1535.  A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE PILOT NOTIFIED A FAMILY MEMBER VIA CELL PHONE THAT HE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN AIRPLANE ACCIDENT. THE FAMILY MEMBER THEN CALLED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPT. THAT LOC                  ATED THE PILOT AND SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSPORTED HIM TO THE HOSPITAL. (.4) THE AIRPLANE LOST AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE WHILE SIGHTSEEING IN A VALLEY AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A HILLSIDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WHILE LOOKING AT THE VALLEY BELOW THE AIRPLANE WAS CAUGHT IN A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT FROM WHICH THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER. THERE WERE NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED WITH THE AIRFRAME OR POWER PLANT BY THE PILOT. HE DID NOTE THAT WHEN HE ADDED POWER THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH POWER AVAILABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DOWNDRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING INDICATED CLEAR SKIES WITH VISUAL FLIGHT RULES RECOMMENDED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CAUGHT IN A DOWNDRAFT ON THE LEE SIDE OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX01LA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA047), Nov 30, 2000: Wsk Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 Wilga 80 (N112B), Kaunakakai, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper assessment of in-flight weather conditions, his inadequate compensation for winds, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude and clearance on the lee side of mountainous…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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