Piper PA-28-181 accident near Molokai, Hawaii, May 31, 1983
On May 31, 1983 at about 4:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N31914, was substantially damaged in an accident near Molokai, Hawaii (Molokai airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- May 31, 1983 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Molokai, Hawaii · Molokai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N31914 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890485
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST BEEN CHECKED OUT IN A C-172 WHICH HE HAD BEEN FLYING THE PAST 3 DAYS. HE THEN SWITCHED ACFT AND THIS FLT WAS IN A PA-28. THE C-172 TANK SELECTOR HAS A BOTH TANKS POSITION AND THE PA-28 DOES NOT. THE TANK SELECTOR WAS ON LEFT TANK WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT SWITCHED TO ANOTHER POSITION BUT DID NOT CHECK IT VISUALLY DUE TO LOW ALTITUDE. AFTER THE LANDING THE SELECTOR WAS FOUND TO BE BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANK. THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY, THE RIGHT TANK WAS FULL.
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: 113 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,387 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 23, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGG Kahului, Maui HI at 3:30 am
- Destination: HNO Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 am from MKK, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.