# NTSB ANC25LA063: Cessna 182G, N3261S, Kona, HI, July 3, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: July 3, 2025, 06:57 local (16:57 UTC)
- Place: Kona, HI
- Coordinates: 19.771167, -156.034
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=19.7712&lon=-156.0340&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200461
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC25LA063
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200461/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA063

## Preliminary report

On July 3, 2025, about 0657 Hawaii-Aleutian standard time, a Cessna 182G airplane, N3261S, 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 pilot said that the airplane had 21 gallons of fuel on board. He sumped the fuel tanks before departure and the fuel was clean, and the predeparture engine run up checks were all normal. The pilot said 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. However, during the approach for landing at KOA, about a half mile away, and before the pilot began to adjust the airplane to a landing configuration, he noticed the Engine Gas Temperatures (EGTs) were higher than expected at a full rich mixture setting and concluded that the engine was running lean. The pilot confirmed no loss of manifold pressure and ruled out carburetor icing. Subsequently the engine began to lose power. The pilot applied carburetor heat, and the engine began to run better for about 15 to 20 seconds before the engine lost all power. The pilot selected an area of rough, uneven, lava-covered terrain as a forced landing site, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A detailed engine examination is pending the recovery of the wreckage.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072716), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3261S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3261S), registered now, S/N 18255761 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182G
- Registry model: [Cessna 182G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182g) (registry code 2072716) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18255761
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Operator: Big Island Gravity LLC
- Registered owner: Big Island Gravity LLC
- Departed: upp, Hawi, HI
- Destination: Koa, Kona, HI

## Weather

- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: PHKO, 2 nm away
- METAR: PHKO 031653Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/19 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02440189

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250703009959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250703009959A), Jul 3, 2025: Cessna 182G, Kona, HI, Substantial damage. 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,…

## Other investigations on N3261S (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 FTW69D0272](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW69D0272), Oct 25, 1968: Cessna 182 (N3261S), Labadieville, LA, substantial damage

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.

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