Boeing 747-122 accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, November 16, 1984
On November 16, 1984 at about 11:33 pm local time, a Boeing 747-122, registered N4714U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii (Honolulu Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 2 people were seriously injured and 38 people had minor injuries; 371 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- November 16, 1984 · about 11:33 pm local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · Honolulu Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 38 people had minor injuries; 371 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 747-122 · all 747-122s on the register
- Registration
- N4714U · no longer on the register · serial 19876
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ACCELERATING TO ABOUT 153 KTS DRG THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE #7 TIRE FAILED & THE FLT CREW ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE ACFT WAS STOPPED WITH APRX 3000 FT OF RWY REMAINING. DUE TO A FUEL LEAK FROM THE RIGHT WING, THE CAPT ORDERED AN EVACU- ATION FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ACFT ONLY. HOWEVER, THE 2ND OFFICER DID NOT RELAY THE CAPT'S INSTRUCTIONS OVR THE PA, & WHEN THE CAPT ACTIVATED THE EVACUATION SIGNAL, THE SLIDES/RAFTS WERE DEPLOYED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ACFT. AFTER APRX 20 OCCUPANTS HAD EVACUATED THRU EXIT 1L, THE STITCHING IN THE GRID BAR LOOPS FAILED AT THAT LOCATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE SLIDE/RAFT SEPARATED & 2 PAX WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. ALSO, 1 FLT ATTENDANT HAD TAKEN A SMALL GIRL TO THE LAVORATORY & WAS NOT IN A PSN TO OPEN HER ASSIGNED EXIT (DOOR 4L); HOWEVER, A PAX WHO TRAVELED OFTEN BY AIR, OPENED THE DOOR. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE #7 TIRE HAD FAILED AFTER THE INNER BEARING OF THAT WHEEL HAD FAILED. THIS CAUSED THE WHEEL & TIRE TO OVERHEAT, WHICH ALLOWED THE FUSES TO MELT & BLOW OUT. THE REASON FOR THE BEARING FAILURE WAS NOT VERIFIED.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,733 hours in all; 1,548 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45,828 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 710,000 lb
- Seats: 495
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNK (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LAX Los Angeles CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8R, 12,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 006° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from HNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 16 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 38 | 355 |
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 N4714U 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.