LAX03FAMS1

The twin engine airplane never arrived at its intended destination following a ferry flight over the Pacific Ocean and is presumed destroyed. The commercial pilot is presumed to have sustained fatal injuries. The pilot intended on flying the airplane from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Tinian Island in the Northern Mariana Islands, and planned on stopping to Majuro Island in the Marshall Islands to refuel. Supplemental fuel tanks were added to the aircraft's pre-existing fuel system providing a total of 373 gallons of aviation gasoline. The pilot calculated he had approximately 15 hours of endurance, and estimated the flight would take 12.5 hours. According to air traffic control (ATC) summaries and transcripts, the pilot was having trouble communicating with his high frequency (HF) radio. He relayed his last position to ATC via another aircraft and requested a climb to 10,000 feet msl. He relayed to ATC his level off at 10,000 feet, which was the last radio transmission received. A weather study conducted for the pilot's route of flight did not indicate that severe weather scenarios existed. The airplane was ferried from the U.S. mainland to Honolulu a few weeks prior to the accident, and no anomalies with the airplane were reported. The ferry tank installation in the aircraft cabin partially blocked the single right side cabin door. In the event the pilot did have to ditch the airplane in the ocean, it is questionable as to whether he would have been able to exit the airplane with his survival equipment in an expeditious manner.

History of flight

On December 15, 2002, between 1305 and 2200 Hawaiian standard time (all times referenced herein are HST), a Piper PA-34-200T, N101YK, failed to arrive at the flight's intended destination of Majuro Island (KMJ), located in the Marshall Islands, South Pacific Ocean. The commercial pilot/owner, the sole occupant, was operating the airplane as a ferry flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot is presumed to have sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane is presumed to be destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from the Honolulu International Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii, at 0652, and was en route to Majuro Island for a fuel stop. The flight's final destination was Tinian Island located in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Interviews with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, other pilots, and the previous airplane owner revealed the following information.

The airplane flew from California to Hawaii a few weeks prior to the aforementioned flight. The accident pilot then bought the airplane. He intended on flying the airplane to Tinian Island, where he planned on using the airplane to start an air charter business.

The pilot filed the following flight plan with HNL Flight Service Station:

HNL direct CHOKO R584 MOKIE direct APOLO direct MAZZA direct KMJ

The pilot filed the trip with an en route airspeed of 170 knots, an altitude of 10,000 feet mean sea level (msl), and an estimated time en route of 12 hours 30 minutes. According to the pilot's flight endurance calculations, the airplane would have enough fuel to last until 2200.

According to the AIRINC transcripts (Aeronautical Radio, Inc., is a communications center that coordinates flight position reports and air traffic control clearances via high frequency [HF] radio communications), the pilot contacted AIRINC on the evening of the 14th at 1900, requesting frequency information for the next morning's flight. At 0620, on the morning of the 15th, the pilot contacted AIRINC again and confirmed the monitoring frequency.

Review of HNL's air traffic control transmission summary revealed that the pilot contacted HNL ground control and requested an IFR clearance to Majuro at 0625. Ground control cleared the pilot to taxi to runway 8R; however, while taxiing out, the pilot missed a turn and requested a progressive taxi. At 0652, HNL tower cleared N101YK for takeoff. After takeoff, N101YK was cleared to 10,000 feet and direct to CHOKO. Between 0721 and 0830, Honolulu's air traffic control facility remained in contact with N101YK, as the pilot attempted to contact AIRINC via the HF radio. At 0830, N101YK cancelled his IFR flight plan and descended to 5,500 feet because of his inability to use the HF radio.

According to AIRINC communication transcripts, the pilot attempted to contact AIRINC at 1120; however, the pilot was having difficulty transmitting via his HF radio. He was able to receive communications; however, his transmissions were "totally distorted." The pilot was able to report his position by transmitting to another aircraft, which in turn relayed the information to AIRINC. According to the relay, N101YK's position was over Johnston Atoll at 5,500 feet at 1240. The pilot estimated his arrival over 15 degrees 30 minutes north and 172 degrees 30 minutes west, at 1338. At 1250, N101YK requested via relay to climb to 10,000 feet. At 1258, N101YK was cleared to climb to 10,000 feet with instructions to report his level off. The pilot reported level at 10,000 feet (via relay), at 1305. There were no additional communications with N101YK.

When the airplane did not arrive at its destination, the United States Coast Guard initiated a search. According to the Coast Guard, they initiated airborne searches on the morning of December 16, 2002, and called them off on December 20, 2002. The Coast Guard conducted 40 hours of search flights along 128,000 square miles of Pacific Ocean along the airplane's intended route of flight. They did not see wreckage or a debris field.

Personnel information

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings in single engine, multiengine, and instrument airplanes. He obtained a first-class medical certificate on November 21, 2001, with no limitations. According to the last medical application, the pilot accumulated a total of 1,700 hours of flight time. According to persons, who met with the pilot prior to the flight, he had never flown a ferry flight over the ocean before.

Aircraft information

The pilot/owner had the 1977 airplane appraised on November 21, 2002, once it arrived in Honolulu from the mainland. According to the appraisal sheet, the airplane had accumulated a total of 3,528.93 hours of flight time. Its last annual inspection took place on September 18, 2002, at a total time of 3,494.82 hours. The airplane was equipped with two counter-rotating Teledyne Continental TSIO-360-EB1B engines. Both engines accumulated a total of 3,528.93 hours, and 291.74 hours since their last overhaul. The propellers had been overhauled along with the engines, and had also accumulated a total of 291.74 hours since their last overhaul.

The white and blue twin engine airplane utilized the same fuel system that was used for the flight from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii. The fuel system was installed via the use of a supplemental type certificate (STC), and added approximately 250 gallons of aviation gasoline to the airplane. The added fuel system, combined with the original aircraft fuel system (123 gallons), allowed for a total of 373 gallons of fuel. According to the pilot's flight plan, this would amount to 15 hours of endurance.

The added fuel system consisted of three aluminum rectangular fuel tanks that incorporated internal baffles. According to the STC, the operator removed all of the seats, and strapped the fuel tanks in their place, both longitudinally and laterally, with two straps each, which tied into the seat tracks. The fuel tanks were grounded to the airframe, and were vented to the atmosphere. The additional fuel system tied into the aircraft's original fuel system between the aircraft fuel selector valves and the fuel filters. The fuel tank selection system was between the pilot's seat and the right front fuel tank.

According to the STC (attachment #1), the pilot was to:

"1. Take off on the aircraft mains tanks and fly approx. two hours.

2. Select desired ferry fuel tank 'ON'.

3. Select right and left ferry valves 'ON' and let engines stabilize (use boost pump as required.).

4. Select aircraft selectors 'OFF'.

5. Monitor fuel quantity gauges and rotate systems as required.

6. To return to aircraft system, reverse procedures."

According to Special Flight Permit Operating Limitations issued by the FAA Honolulu Flight Standards District Office, the use of the airplanes's autopilot system was prohibited, and the "speeds shall not exceed 122 knots" while the airplane was in an overweight condition.

The HF radio was also installed via the use of an STC dated December 11, 2002. A person showed the pilot how to use the Kenwood TS 440S Digital 250-watt HF radio on three separate occasions. According to this person, the pilot kept forgetting steps and making mistakes. The person finally had the pilot write down the steps on a piece of paper. He added that he observed the HF radio frequencies to be used on the pilot's aerial charts.

In addition, an Apollo SL50 global positioning system (GPS) receiver was on the accident airplane in accordance with an STC. The pilot also obtained a hand-held GPS receiver as a backup to the panel mounted Apollo unit.

Meteorological information

The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a weather study utilizing National Weather Service (NWS) and National Climatic Data Cen