# NTSB DCA90MA005: De Havilland DHC-6-300, N707PV, Halawa,Molokai, HI, October 29, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 1 · Major · Final report
- Date: October 28, 1989, 18:37 local (Oct 29, 1989, 04:37 UTC)
- Place: Halawa,Molokai, HI
- Location: 21.3753° N, 157.9185° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Halawa, HI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3753&lon=-157.9185&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 20 fatal
- Status: Completed, report July 29, 1992
- Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class: Class 1
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15930
- NTSB case page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA90MA005.aspx
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15930/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA90MA005

## Probable cause

THE AIRPLANE'S CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN AS A RESULT OF THE DECISION OF THE CAPTAIN TO CONTINUE FLIGHT UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES AT NIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), WHICH OBSCURED RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.  CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS:  THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF PERSONNEL, TRAINING, AND OPERATIONS BY ALOHA ISLANDAIR MANAGEMENT AND INSUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT OF ALOHA ISLANDAIR BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION PARTICULARILY DURING A PERIOD OF RAPID OPERATIONAL EXPANSION.  (REF: NTSB/AAR-90/05)

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
  - inadequate training, company/operator management (contributing factor)
  - inadequate surveillance of operation, company/operator mgmt (contributing factor)
  - inadequate surveillance of operation, faa(organization) (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)

## Analysis

DE HAVILLAND DHC-6, N707PV (ALOHA ISLANDAIR FLT 1712), COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN NEAR HALAWA BAY, HI, WHILE EN ROUTE ON A SCHEDULED PASSENGER FLT AT NIGHT FROM MAUI TO MOLOKAI, HI.  IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 500 FT, SHORTLY AFTER THE ACFT HAD DESCENDED OVER WATER, THEN CROSSED THE SHORELINE.  THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE CAPTAIN HAD MADE A NAVIGATIONAL ERROR & MISTAKENLY BELIEVED THAT HE WAS CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE NORTHERN PORTION OF MOKOKAI ISLAND.  THE ACFT CRASHED WHILE ON A HEADING THAT WAS PARALLEL WITH THE ISLAND'S NORTHERN SHORELINE.  LOW CLOUDS OBSCURED THE MTN TOPS IN THE AREA OF THE ACDNT.  THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE OF INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF PSNL, TRAINING & OPNS BY ALOHA ISLANDAIR MANAGEMENT & INSUFFICIENT OVERSIGHT OF ALOHA ISLANDAIR BY THE FAA DURING A PERIOD OF ALOHA ISLANDAIR'S RAPID OPNL EXPANSION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N707PV (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DE HAVILLAND DHC-6-300
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 400
- Airframe hours: 19875
- Engines: P&W PT6A-27 620 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Aloha Islandair
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 19, 1989, 59 hours before
- Departed: OGG, MAUI, HI
- Destination: MKK, MOLOKAI, HI
- Flight plan: Company VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 3,542 total, 1,668 in this make and model, 1,811 as pilot in command, 259 in the last 90 days, 67 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 50° at 11 knots
- Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

## 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 19891028043379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891028043379A), Oct 28, 1989: Dhav DHC6300, Molokai, HI, Destroyed, 20 fatal. Descended at night into IMC and collided with cloud obscured mountain.

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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