- Date
- September 8, 1983, 09:34 local (19:34 UTC)
- Place
- Kailua-Kona, HI
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 9 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2990FBeech H18S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830908047139A
- Case key
- 23846
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
About 1 min after takeoff, between 400-500 ft MSL & during the first power reduction, the right eng backfired. Followingsome more violent backfires the RPM went to zero. The right eng was restarted but the same result occurred. The plt attempted to feather the right prop but to no avail. The acft was then deliberately ditched to avoid an outcropping of lava. The acft came to rest in about 25-30 ft of water. Eng inspection revealed that the #2 cylinder exhaust rocker arm shaft, P/N45937, was missing. Drive train continuity was established with the exception of the #2 exhaust valve. Centrifugal stops prevent feathering of the prop below an eng speed of 500 RPM.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2990F
- Reported as
- Beech H18S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BA-75
- Airframe hours
- 16,873
- Engine
- P&W R985-AN-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Airtour Acquisition Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · August 26, 1983 · 48 hours before
- Destination
- OGG · HI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KOA · Keahole
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,026 total · 2,960 in this make and model · 205 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KOA, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.