20030125001589A

(.19) On January 25, 2003, at 1222 hawaiian standard time, a single engine Cessna 172N airplane, N911FC, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain while maneuvering approximately 5 miles east of the town of kalaupapa on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by george's aviation service, inc., of honolulu, Hawaii. The solo instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The cross-country flight originated from the honolulu international airport (hnl), honolulu, approximately 1140, and was destined for the kahului airport (ogg) on maui island, Hawaii. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the accident site at the time of the accident, and the student pilot had filed a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan for the flight. According to the student's flight instructor, the student was to fly from oahu to maui by flying over the north shore of Molokai at 3,500 feet MSL. The student was utilizing an island reporting method to report his current and forecast positions to air traffic controllers and flight service stations (fss). Initial reports from the federal aviation administration, indicate that the student had spoken with the Molokai air traffic control tower. The student was instructed to contact honolulu radio after leaving the Molokai control area; however, the fss never received the pilot's next position report (which was supposed to be over cape halawa on the east side of the island). When the fss did not receive the next radio call from the student, they issued an "alert notice (alnot)" for a missing aircraft. The U.S. Coast guard started search and rescue mission flights approximately 1400. Interviews with the coast guard pilots, who initiated the search efforts, reported they encountered visual meteorological conditions (VMC) from honolulu to the west side of Molokai. They observed hazier visibility conditions when they neared the northwest side of the island. The pilots reported encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) once they passed halfway over the island, with cloud ceilings around 500 feet and visibility between 1-2 miles. Weather hampered search efforts until January 27, 2003, when a maui fire department helicopter spotted the wreckage on the west slope of the manuahi ridge. The wreckage was located approximately 1,500 feet above sea level, approximately 75 feet below the crest of the ridge. Review of the flight school rental records revealed that the student had accumulated approximately 34 total flight hours. According to his flight instructor this was his first solo cross-country flight. He had flown two cross-country flights with his flight instructor prior to the solo, one of which was along the same route of flight as the one the student was flying the day of the accident. The similar dual cross-country flight was conducted on January 18, 2003. At 1154, the weather observation facility located at the Molokai Airport, which is approximately 11 miles west of the accident site, reported the wind from 040 degrees at 9 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; a few clouds at 800 feet AGL; scattered clouds at 2,400 feet AGL; and broken clouds at 5,500 feet AGL. The temperature and dew point were reported as 23 and 21 degrees celsius, respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.00 inches of mercury. (-23) on January 25, 2003, at 1222 hawaiian standard time, a single engine Cessna 172N airplane, N911FC, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain while maneuvering approximately 5 miles east of the town of kalaupapa on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and was operated by george's aviation service, inc., of honolulu, Hawaii. The solo instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The cross-country flight originated from the honolulu international airport (hnl), honolulu, approximately 1140, and was destined for the kahului airport (ogg) on maui island, Hawaii. Instrument meteorlogical conditions (IMC) prevailed at the accident site at the time of the accident, and the student pilot had filed a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan for the flight.