Cessna 172P accident near Kauai, Hawaii, September 3, 1988
On September 3, 1988 at about 6:14 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N51886, was destroyed in an accident near Kauai, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- September 3, 1988 · about 6:14 am local time
- Place
- Kauai, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N51886 · no longer on the register · serial 17274373
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED FOR HONOLULU, HI AFTER FLYING FOR 3 HOURS, 45 MINUTES WITHOUT REFUELING. THE FLIGHT TO HONOLULU TAKES 1 HOUR. THE AIRPLANE HAS A FULL FUEL ENDURANCE OF FOUR HOURS. IT DISAPPEARED FROM NAVY RADAR 25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KAUAI. ACFT WRECKAGE NOT LOCATED; DAMAGE INDEX PRESUMED.
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: 284 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,197 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1988; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Eveland Aero Service
The flight
- Departed from: PAK Port Allen HI at 5:15 am
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from HNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.