# Accident 20171016023669A: Robinson Helicopter R44, Kaunakakai, HI, October 16, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 16, 2017, 19:26 local time
- Place: Kaunakakai, HI
- Airport: Kaunakai
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: RP8S
- Location: 21.2228° N, 157.1533° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.2228&lon=-157.1533&mi=10
- Aircraft: N820DF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N820DF-2020-07-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Robinson Helicopter R44 (registry code 7640120, https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r44) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROBINSON HELICOPTER R44
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA010) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171016023669A

## Narrative

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

N820DF OCCUPIED BY INSTRUMENT STUDENT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTOR PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INITIATED AN INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT ON THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 16, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 630 PM .  THE MANAGEMENT OF HAWAII PACIFIC AVIATION INC.(DBA MAUNA LOA HELICOPTERS) WAS BRIEFED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO CONDUCT TRAINING ONLY ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU AND WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THE PILOTS DECISION TO TRAVEL OVER WATER AT NIGHT TO CONDUCT THIS TRAINING ON THE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI.  THIS FLIGHT PATH WAS CONDUCTED CONTRARY TO INTERNAL POLICIES WITHIN MAUNA LOA CONCERNING OVER WATER FLIGHTS AT NIGHT.

AT 7:26 PM, 10/16/26 N820DF DURING THE EXECUTION OF A PRACTICE APPROACH INTO KAUNAKAKAI (MOLOKAI) AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST SEEN ON RADAR TURNING LEFT TO INTERCEPT A HONOLULU CONTROL FACILITY VECTORED HEADING TO RETURN TO HONOLULU AIRPORT.  AT 3800 FEET MSL N820DF WAS DESCENDING AT 1500 FEET PER MINUTE TRAVELING AT 43 KNOTS.  RADAR CONTACT FROM THREE RADARS WERE LOST DURING A DESCENDING DECERATING LEFT SWEEPING TURN AND NOT SEEN AGAIN.

## 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 WPR18LA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA010), Oct 17, 2017: Robinson Helicopter R44 (N820DF), Molokai, HI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: A descent and subsequent impact with open ocean waters for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.

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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