Grumman AA-1C accident near Kauai, Hawaii, May 15, 1983
On May 15, 1983 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Grumman AA-1C, registered N39019, was destroyed in an accident near Kauai, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 15, 1983 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Kauai, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman AA-1C
- Registration
- N39019 · no longer on the register · serial AA1C0187
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DESCENDED AT A FLAT ANGLE UNDER POWER INTO TREES AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT 1010 FOR A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 78 AND THE DEW POINT WAS 65 DEGREES F. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT THE PILOT TURNED TO AVOID CLOUDS AND BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE ADDED THROTTLE BUT COULD NOT GET FULL POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND WITH BEST CLIMB AIRSPEED AND FULL THROTTLE. MAINTAINING WHAT POWER HE COULD AND A FLAT RATE OF DESCENT THE PILOT FLEW INTO A SLIGHTLY UPWARD SLOPING GROUP OF TREES IN THE MAKAHA VALLEY.
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: 570 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 407 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,426 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 15, 1983; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,560 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIH Lihue HI at 7:36 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from LIH, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N39019 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.