# NTSB LAX97LA185: Bell 206B, N98AW, Hilo, HI, May 18, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 18, 1997, 11:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Hilo, HI - Coordinates: 19.69087, -155.079879 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=19.6909&lon=-155.0799&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 21, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29792 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA185 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29792/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=29792 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA185 ## Probable cause the noninstrument-rated pilot flew into instrument conditions and failed to maintain adequate terrain clearance, while attempting to descend through an overcast. The adverse weather conditions and mountainous terrain were related factors. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - flight into known adverse weather - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The noninstrument-rated pilot filed a company visual flight plan for a ferry flight from Kona to Hilo, Hawaii, but obtained no preflight weather briefing. Meteorological conditions along the intended route of flight were variable from visual to instrument conditions. There was a 7,000 foot overcast overlaying the destination and the eastern portion of the route. A first officer for Hawaiian Airlines stated that he and the captain observed a helicopter 15 to 20 miles west of Hilo on top of an overcast and that the pilot appeared to be searching for a visual path through the clouds. The first officer stated that at that time, there were no holes in the clouds that he could see and that Hilo was under a solid overcast. The aircraft collided with mountainous terrain at 6,500 feet. ## Factual narrative On May 18, 1997, about 1145 hours Hawaiian standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N98AW, collided with mountainous terrain 21 miles north-northwest of Hilo, Hawaii. The aircraft was found at 0815 hours on May 20 after being reported overdue on a company ferry flight from Kona to Hilo. The accident site is at the 6,500 foot level on the eastern slope of the Mauna Kea volcano. The aircraft was destroyed and the solo commercial pilot received fatal injuries. The pilot had filed a company visual flight plan, but obtained no preflight weather briefing and was not rated for instrument flight. Meteorological conditions along the intended route of flight were variable from visual to instrument conditions with a 7,000-foot overcast overlaying the destination and eastern portion of the route. A first officer for Hawaiian Airlines stated to a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector that he and the captain of flight 381 observed a helicopter 15 to 20 miles west of Hilo on top of the overcast at 7,500 feet at approximately 1135 on May 18, and that the aircraft appeared to be searching for a visual path through the clouds. The first officer further stated that there were no holes in the clouds that he could see, and that Hilo was under a solid overcast at that time. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N98AW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N98AW-1998-01-07), registration cancelled 1998-01-07, S/N 3214 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3214 - Airframe hours: 14115 - Engines: Allison 250-C20J 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Tetsuro E. Sugiyama, doing business as Kenai Helicopters - Registered owner: Kenai Air Hawaii, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 17, 1997, 4 hours before - Departed: KOA, KONA, HI - Destination: ITO, HI - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; commercial, flight instructor; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 653 total, 50 in this make and model, 530 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 5 knots - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: ITO, 18 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970518314359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970518314359A), May 18, 1997: Bell 206B, Hilo, HI, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On may 18, 1997, about 1145 hours hawaiian standard time, a Bell 206B helicopter, N98AW, collided with mountainous terrain 21 miles north-northwest of Hilo,… ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 18, 1998, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=29792. 1.1 MB in all. - Witness Statements (item 1, .PDF, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413144&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Map of Accident Area (item 2, .PDF, 225 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079599&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20of%20Accident%20Area-Master.PDF - Transcript of Radio Communications (item 3, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413145&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications-Redacted.PDF - Sketches of wreckage distribution (item 4, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079601&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Sketches%20of%20wreckage%20distribution-Master.PDF - FAA accident report (item 5, .PDF, 278 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413146&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20accident%20report-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1. General accident site (item 6, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079603&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20%20General%20accident%20site-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Wreckage distribution (item 7, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079604&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20%20Wreckage%20distribution-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Wreckage scatter pattern (item 8, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079605&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20%20Wreckage%20scatter%20pattern-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Engine and aft section (item 9, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079606&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20%20Engine%20and%20aft%20section-Master.PDF - Photo 5. Engine compartment and oil cooler (item 10, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079607&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20%20Engine%20compartment%20and%20oil%20cooler-Master.PDF - Photo 6. Main rotor head and blades (item 11, .PDF, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40079608&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20%20Main%20rotor%20head%20and%20blades-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.