Piper PA-28-151 accident near Near Honolulu, Hawaii, January 10, 1983
On January 10, 1983 at about 3:05 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N32658, was destroyed in an accident near Near Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- January 10, 1983 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Near Honolulu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N32658 · no longer on the register · serial 287515211
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & PASSENGERS DEPARTED ON A SIGHT-SEEING FLT TO VIEW A VOLCANO ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII VIA KONA, HI & RETURN. THE FUEL TANKS HAD BEEN TOPPED OFF BEFORE DEPARTURE, & REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE FLT. EXCEPT FOR DIFFICULTIES IN STARTING THE ENGINE (WHICH REQUIRED A JUMPED START DUE TO A LOW BATTERY), THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE ACFT WAS BETWEEN MOLOKAI & HONOLULU. AT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED & BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PLT MANAGED TO GET THE ENGINE RUNNING SMOOTHLY FOR A TIME BY ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE CONTROL, BUT THEN IT SPUTTERED AGAIN & QUIT RUNNING. THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN THE OPEN SEA, & ABOUT 2 HRS LATER, THE OCCUPANTS WERE RESCUED BY THE COAST GUARD. THE ACFT SANK & WAS NOT RECOVERED.
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: 193 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,714 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1982; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 10:17 pm
- Destination: KOA Kona HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
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.