Cessna 402B accident near Kalaupapa, Hawaii, January 13, 1986
On January 13, 1986 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N53SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalaupapa, Hawaii (Kalaupapa airport). It was a positioning 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
- January 13, 1986 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kalaupapa, Hawaii · Kalaupapa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N53SA · registry record · serial 402B0591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT WHEN HE DEPARTED RWY 5, THE ACFT 'BECAME AIRBORNE PREMATURELY DUE TO A HUMP AND ROUGH NATURE OF THE RUNWAY.' HE FURTHER SAID THAT 'AFTER WALLOWING MONENTARILY BEHIND THE POWER CURVE,' THE ACFT BEGAN A NORMAL CLIMB AND ACCELERATION PROFILE. HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT JUST OFF THE BEACH, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK A LARGE (OCEAN) WAVE 'AT AN APPROXIMATE ALTITUDE OF 70 FT.' THE ACFT CONTINUED FLYING, BUT THE LEFT WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE 2760 FT RWY WAS LOCATED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE BEACH. RPRTDLY, LARGE OCEAN WAVES IN THE RANGE OF 30 FT DO OCCUR ALONG THE BEACH, JUST OFF THE ARPT. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, THE NO WIND TAKEOFF DISTANCE TO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN APRX 1600 FT ON A NORMAL TAKEOFF PROFILE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 280 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,512 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1986; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Reeves Aviation, INC
The flight
- Destination: MKK Kaunakakai HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 2,760 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.