# Accident 20010518010919A: Cessna 337C, Laupahoehoe, HI, May 18, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 18, 2001, 08:15 local time - Place: Laupahoehoe, HI - Damage: No damage - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: MK9A - Location: 20.0833° N, 155.3333° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=20.0833&lon=-155.3333&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2479S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2479S-2002-01-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 337C (registry code 2075712, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-337c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-360 series (registry code 17025, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 337C - Fatal injuries: 0 - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA181) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010518010919A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23)PILOT REPORTED LOSING POWER IN BOTH ENGINES 27 N.M. NW OF HILO, HI., WITH SURGING JUST PRIOR TO FAILURE. PILOT AND PASSENGERS REPORTED PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS, TURN ON FUEL BOOST PUMP, AND THE FRONT ENGINE RAN FOR A FEW SECONDS. A PASSENGER POINTED OUT A LANDING AREA, BUT PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE WATER, DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT TERRAIN. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SWICH TO AUXILLERY FUEL, STATING THAT HE FELT A COUPLE OF GALLONS WERE AVAILABLE IN EACH AUXILLERY TANK. REPEATED FUEL SAMPLE CHECKS OF AUX TANKS WOULD EVENTUALLY DEPLETE AUX FUEL RESERVES AS AUX TANKS WERE NOT REFUELED. REFUELING RECORDS INDICATE THAT AIRCRAFT (MAINS) WERE REFUELED WITH PROPER AMOUNT FOR THE FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT REMAINS IN APPROXIMATELY 150 FT. OF WATER. (.19) ON MAY 18, 2001, AT 0816 HOURS HAWAIIAN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 337C, N2479S, EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND DITCHED IN THE OCEAN OFF THE COAST OF LAUPAHOEHOE, HAWAII. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY MOKULELE FLIGHT SERVICE, INC., UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 135 AS AN ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND FIVE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. T HE AIRPLANE SANK IN DEEP WATER AND IS PRESUMED TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE SIGHTSEEING, LOCAL AREA FLIGHT, AND A COMPANY VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO HILO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) PERSONNEL, RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED WITH THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE ABOUT 0806 AFTER THE AIRPLANE HAD TRANSITIONED THROUGH THE HILO TERMINAL AREA. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO SQUAWK VFR AND A FREQUENCY CHANGE WAS APPROVED. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO A UNICOM FREQUENCY, AND AT 0814, A COMPANY AIRPLANE REPORTED TO HILO ATC THAT HE HAD HEARD A MAYDAY CALL ON THE UNICOM FREQUENCY AND THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD CRASHED INTO THE WATER ABEAM LAUPAHOEHOE. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTORS INTERVIEWED THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS REPORTED THAT BOTH ENGINES QUIT AT THE SAME TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINES SURGED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLES, MIXTURES, AND PROPELLERS. HE PLACED THE BOOST PUMPS ON HIGH AND SWITCHED TO THE AUXILIARY TANKS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FRONT ENGINE RAN FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN QUIT. HE MADE A MAYDAY CALL ON UNICOM AND LANDED STRAIGH T AHEAD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING THEIR LIFE PRESERVERS DURING THE FLIGHT. AFTER LANDING HE CRACKED OPEN THE DOORS. THE PILOT EXITED THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, WHICH HAD BROKEN ON LANDING. HE SWAM AROUND TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT. THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER STRUGGLED WITH HER SEAT BELT, BUT WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT OF THE AIRPLANE UNASSISTED. THE FAA INSPECTORS ALSO INTERVIEWED THE OWNER, REFUELER, AND DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE OF THE COMPANY. THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH 44 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE REFUELER VISUALLY CHECKED THAT THE FUEL WAS JUST BELOW THE TOP, ABOUT 1 INCH, WHICH SHOULD BE 75 GALLONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ONLY CHECKED THE FUEL GAGES AND DID NOT VISUALLY VERIFY THE FUEL QUANTITY. THE PILOT FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE BELIEVED THERE WERE SEVERAL GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE AUXILIARY TANKS. WHEN THE ENGINES QUIT, HE SWITCHED TO THE AUXILIARY TANKS. A TOUR HELICOPTER CIRCLED THE AREA AND DROPPED LIFE PRESERVERS. THE COUNTY RESCUE SERVICES HELICOPTER HAD EVERYONE OUT OF THE WATER AND TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL 15 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 LAX01LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA181), May 18, 2001: Cessna 337C (N2479S), Paauilo, HI, destroyed. Probable cause: A dual loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Other reports on N2479S (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19800515043209I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800515043209I), May 15, 1980: Cessna 337C (N2479S), Columbia, SC, Minor damage. Pilot failed to extend gear before landing. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.