Douglas DC-4-C55B accident near Kahului, Hawaii, June 29, 1983
On June 29, 1983 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Douglas DC-4-C55B, registered N300JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kahului, Hawaii (Kahului airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- June 29, 1983 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Kahului, Hawaii · Kahului · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-4-C55B
- Registration
- N300JT · registry record · serial 36072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, A DESCENT WAS BEGUN FROM 8000 TO 7000 FT MSL AT 0151 HST. AT 0155 HST, THE AIRCREW WAS CLEARED FOR A VISUAL APCH FROM 7000 FT MSL & A RAPID DESCENT WAS STARTED WITH 20 DEG OF FLAPS & APRX 25 INCHES MAP (MANIFOLD PRESSURE). THE ACFT WAS MANEUVERED TO INTERCEPT THE ILS LOCALIZER & GLIDE SLOPE AS A REFERENCE. AFTER INTERCEPTING THE GLIDE SLOPE AT ABOUT 3000 FT, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) CALLED FOR 2250 RPM & GEAR EXTENSION. WHILE DESCENDING THRU APRX 2000 FT, HE NOTICED THE ACFT SLOWING DOWN & DESCENDING BELOW THE GLIDE SLOPE, SO HE CALLED FOR A POWER INCREASE TO 27 INCHES MAP. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE AIRCREW NOTED THAT THE ENGS WERE NOT RESPONDING & HAD LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD WITH THE GEAR IN A TRANSIENT POSITION. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUND POSITIONED TO FUEL TANKS CONTAINING FUEL, BUT THE POSITIONING DURING THE DESCENT WAS NOT VERIFIED. THE TEMP &DEW POINT WERE 72 & 65 DEG. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN BARELY WITHIN THE ENVELOPE FOR CARB ICE ON ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 375 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55,517 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 3, 1983; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 73,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R2000 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ITO Hilo HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from OGG, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.