Piper PA-31-350 accident near Eleele Kauai, Hawaii, October 31, 1986
On October 31, 1986, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N33WH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eleele Kauai, Hawaii (Port Allen airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 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
- October 31, 1986
- Place
- Eleele Kauai, Hawaii · Port Allen · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N33WH · registry record · serial 317405482
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA 31-350 LOST POWER AND COLLIDED WITH SIGN POSTS AFTER LANDING ON A ROAD. IT WAS REPORTED TO THE FAA THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING PARTIAL POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE ON THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT NEVER CONFIRMED WHETHER OR NOT THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD FAILED AND NEVER FEATHERED THE PROPELLER ALLOWING THE PROPELLER TO WINDMILL. THE PILOT MAINTAINED A DESCENT AT VYSE AND LANDED ON A ROAD TWO MILES SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE RIGHT ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM WERE TESTED WITH NO DISCREPANCIES FOUND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,206 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 4,321 as pilot in command; 2,100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,056 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 16, 1986; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGG Kahului HI at 11:00 pm
- Destination: LIH Lihue HI
- Runway 27, 2,450 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from LIH, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.