Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Waimanalo, Oahu, Hawaii, April 3, 1983
On April 3, 1983 at about 11:50 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N28808, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waimanalo, Oahu, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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 3, 1983 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Waimanalo, Oahu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N28808 · registry record · serial AA-5B-0828
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED MANEUVERING OVER THE WATER AT LOW ALTITUDE PRIOR TO IMPACT WITH THE WATER. A SURVIVING PAX STATED THAT HE & THE PLT HAD A BIG PARTY THE DAY BEFORE THE FLT & THEY BOTH HAD HANGOVERS THE FOLLOWING MORNING. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THEY HAD A COUPLE OF BEERS THAT MORNING, BUT DIDN'T DRINK WHILE FLYING. THE PLT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.17%.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,018 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 26, 1982; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from PHNG, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.