Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 accident near Faaa Tahiti, Fp, December 24, 2000
On December 24, 2000 at about 2:53 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10, registered N132AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Faaa Tahiti (Tahiti-Faaa International Airp airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 139 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 24, 2000 · about 2:53 am local time
- Place
- Faaa Tahiti, FP · Tahiti-Faaa International Airp
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 139 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-10 · all DC-10-10s on the register
- Registration
- N132AA · no longer on the register · serial 47827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 64,841 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 29, 2000; 152 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 430,000 lb
- Seats: 319
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Hawaiian Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: PHNL Honolulu HI at 4:38 am
- Destination: NTAA Faaa Papeete
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 04, 11,220 ft by 148 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 19 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 82°F (28°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 15 | |||
| Passengers | 124 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N132AA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.