What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 3, 2025, about 0657 hawaii-aleutian standard time, a Cessna 182G airplane, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kona, Hawaii. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 positioning flight. The pilot reported that the flight was a repositioning flight from the upolu airport (upp), hawi, Hawaii to the Kona International Airport (koa). The airplane had between 21 and 26 gallons of fuel on board. The pilot stated that while en route to koa at 2,400 ft MSL, he maintained a cruise power setting of 2,300 RPM and 22 inches of manifold pressure. The airplane was half a mile away, in a descent on final to koa when the engine started to have issues. The pilot applied carburetor heat, and the engine began to run better for about 15 to 20 seconds before the engine lost total power. The pilot selected an area of rough, uneven, lavacovered terrain as a forced landing site, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.
Engine inspection findings:
1. #3-Cylinder compression check failed (likely damaged from crash). All other cylinders were good.
2. Inspected carburetor bowl for water and corrosion. There was fuel inside with no trace of water or sign of corrosion.
3. Inspected carburetor float for damage. Inspected ok.
4. Inspected carburetor inlet screen. Found some debris but not abnormal.
5. Spark plugs checked ok.
6. Tested left- and right-wing fuel vents and fuel lines with air compressor for air flow. No obstruction found.
7. Tested fuel lines from left and right wings running from cabin to firewall. Right side checked ok. Left side had obstruction, must likely cause by bent fuel line on firewall from accident.
8. Removed fuel tank selector for operation inspection. Inspected with air compressor for air flow. Inspected ok.
9. Inspected intake runners and found the left side with large quantity of fuel. Possible indication of running in rich condition.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 3, 2025, ABOUT 0657 HAWAII-ALEUTIAN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 182G AIRPLANE, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR KONA, HAWAII. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT FROM THE UPOLU AIRPORT (UPP), HAWI, HAWAII TO THE KONA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KOA). THE AIRPLANE HAD BETWEEN 21 AND 26 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE EN ROUTE TO KOA AT 2,400 FT MSL, HE MAINTAINED A CRUISE POWER SETTING OF 2,300 RPM AND 22 INCHES OF MANIFOLD PRESSURE. THE AIRPLANE WAS HALF A MILE AWAY, IN A DESCENT ON FINAL TO KOA WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO HAVE ISSUES. THE PILOT APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN BETTER FOR ABOUT 15 TO 20 SECONDS BEFORE THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT SELECTED AN AREA OF ROUGH, UNEVEN, LAVACOVERED TERRAIN AS A FORCED LANDING SITE, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND RIGHT WING.
ENGINE INSPECTION FINDINGS:
1. #3-CYLINDER COMPRESSION CHECK FAILED (LIKELY DAMAGED FROM CRASH). ALL OTHER CYLINDERS WERE GOOD.
2. INSPECTED CARBURETOR BOWL FOR WATER AND CORROSION. THERE WAS FUEL INSIDE WITH NO TRACE OF WATER OR SIGN OF CORROSION.
3. INSPECTED CARBURETOR FLOAT FOR DAMAGE. INSPECTED OK.
4. INSPECTED CARBURETOR INLET SCREEN. FOUND SOME DEBRIS BUT NOT ABNORMAL.
5. SPARK PLUGS CHECKED OK.
6. TESTED LEFT- AND RIGHT-WING FUEL VENTS AND FUEL LINES WITH AIR COMPRESSOR FOR AIR FLOW. NO OBSTRUCTION FOUND.
7. TESTED FUEL LINES FROM LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS RUNNING FROM CABIN TO FIREWALL. RIGHT SIDE CHECKED OK. LEFT SIDE HAD OBSTRUCTION, MUST LIKELY CAUSE BY BENT FUEL LINE ON FIREWALL FROM ACCIDENT.
8. REMOVED FUEL TANK SELECTOR FOR OPERATION INSPECTION. INSPECTED WITH AIR COMPRESSOR FOR AIR FLOW. INSPECTED OK.
9. INSPECTED INTAKE RUNNERS AND FOUND THE LEFT SIDE WITH LARGE QUANTITY OF FUEL. POSSIBLE INDICATION OF RUNNING IN RICH CONDITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.