Piper PA-23-250 accident near Laupahoehoe, Hawaii, December 7, 1995
On December 7, 1995 at about 9:08 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6687Y, was destroyed in an accident near Laupahoehoe, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot falling asleep at the controls due to fatigue. Factors were: the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and the dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1995 · about 9:08 am local time
- Place
- Laupahoehoe, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6687Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-4009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot planned for an overwater flight of about 13-1/2 hours to arrive at the intended destination at darkness. Initially, the flight was in radio contact with the required hourly position reports. For the last 5 hours of the flight, no radio contact or reports were received although repeated attempts were made by air traffic control. The flight lasted for approximately 15 hours prior to impact 90 nautical miles southeast of the intended destination, in the jungle on the Island of Hawaii. Subsequent examination of the airplane found that the airplane was in cruise flight at the time of the accident, and no mechanical anomalies were found. A post mortem examination of the pilot revealed no evidence of preaccident pathological conditions which would render the pilot incapable of piloting the airplane.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,634 hours in all; 36 in the last 90 days; 16,059 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 5:57 pm
- Destination: OGG Kahului HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 am from ITO, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.