Cessna 182G accident near Kona, Hawaii, July 3, 2025
On July 3, 2025 at about 4:57 pm local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N3261S, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Kona, Hawaii. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2025 · about 4:57 pm local time
- Place
- Kona, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3261S · registry record · serial 18255761
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Big Island Gravity LLC
The flight
- Departed from: upp Hawi HI
- Destination: Koa Kona HI
Weather at the time
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 am from PHKO, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PHKO 031653Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/19 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02440189
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.