Piper PA-31-350 accident near 500 Nm E, Honolulu, Hawaii, December 9, 1982
On December 9, 1982 at about 10:28 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N74957, was destroyed in an accident near 500 Nm E, Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- December 9, 1982 · about 10:28 am local time
- Place
- 500 Nm E, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N74957 · no longer on the register · serial 7305106
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED OAKLAND, CA AT 1733 PST ON A NIGHT FLIGHT TO HONOLULU, HI. THE FLT PROCEEDED WITHOUT INCIDENT UNTIL APRX 0050 PST WHEN THE PLT ADVISED THAT THE LEFT ENG WAS SLOWLY LOSING OIL PRESSURE. AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT WAS AT AN ALT OF 6000 FT. AT 0205, THE PLT REPORTED HE SHUT DOWN THE ENG & WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT. A DESCENT WAS STARTED. IN HIS LAST TRANSMISSION AT 0228 PST, THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT 500 FT, BARELY MAINTAINING ALT. RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST WHEN THE ACFT WAS APRX 500 MI EAST OF HONOLULU. AT 1559, THE CREW OF A SEARCH ACFT SIGHTED FLOATING DEBRIS & 1 BODY FLOATING IN THAT AREA. A MARKER BUOY WAS DEPLOYED, BUT NO RECOVERY WAS ACCOMPLISH. THE ACFT WAS PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED & BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE PRESUMED TO HAVE BEEN FATALLY INJURED. THE ACFT CRASHED IN MODERATE SEA CONDITIONS WITH WAVES HEIGHTS ESTIMATED AT 3 TO 5 FT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,093 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,045 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Brent'S International, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 5:33 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 320° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.