Cessna T188C accident near Hilo, Hawaii, November 4, 1985
On November 4, 1985 at about 3:39 pm local time, a Cessna T188C, registered N9958J, was destroyed in an accident near Hilo, Hawaii. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 4, 1985 · about 3:39 pm local time
- Place
- Hilo, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T188C · all T188Cs on the register
- Registration
- N9958J · no longer on the register · serial T18803887T
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT BECAME AWARE OF THE ACFT'S UNANTICIPATED LOW FUEL STATE WHEN THE ENG FAILED WHILE OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN, APRX 900 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION. HE RESTARTED THE ENG BUT ESTIMATED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH FUEL REMAINING TO REACH HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION. HE SOLICITED ASSISTANCE FROM NAVY AND COAST GUARD ACFT TO HELP HIM LOCATE A SHIP NEAR WHICH HE MIGHT DITCH. A SHIP WAS LOCATED AND THE PLT DITCHED HIS ACFT APRX 700 MILES SHORT OF HIS DESTINATION. THE PLT SUSPECTED THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE HOPPER AS IT LOST APRX 150 GALLONS OF FUEL IN 1 HOUR.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,750 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1985; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520T (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trans-Air, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 045 Vacaville CA
- Destination: ITO Hilo HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.