Beech E18S accident near Hakalau, Hawaii, April 29, 1982
On April 29, 1982 at about 7:34 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N6911, was destroyed in an accident near Hakalau, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. 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
- April 29, 1982 · about 7:34 am local time
- Place
- Hakalau, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N6911 · registry record · serial BA-445
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HILO ON THE LAST LEG OF A 3 FLIGHT. A FEW MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CALLED THE TOWER TO ASKFOR RETURN AND INDICATED HE HAD A DIFFICULTY. NO FURTHER TRANSMISSION WAS MADE. WITNESSES HEARD INTERMITTENT ENGINE SPUTTERING AND THEN THE WHINE OF A HIGH SPEED DIVE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD AT A STEEP ANGLE.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 775 in this make and model; 47 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,216 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Island Airlines Hawaii, LTD.
The flight
- Departed from: ITO Hilo HI at 9:28 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.