Aero Commander 680FLP accident near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, September 11, 1989
On September 11, 1989 at about 1:18 am local time, a Aero Commander 680FLP, registered N22LR, was destroyed in an accident near Kailua-Kona, Hawaii (Keahole airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATION BY THE PILOT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: EXCESSIVE WEAR IN BOTH ENGINES, IMPROPER USE OF POWERPLANT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT, SUBSEQUENT OVERTEMPERATURE/DETONATION IN BOTH ENGINES, IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES BY THE PILOT (INCLUDING PREMATURE GEAR EXTENSION AND/OR FAILURE TO PROPERLY REDUCE DRAG ON THE AIRCRAFT AFTER LOSS OF ENGINE POWER), AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN MULTI-ENGINE AND THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1989 · about 1:18 am local time
- Place
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii · Keahole
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Commander 680FLP · all 680FLPs on the register
- Registration
- N22LR · no longer on the register · serial 1503-18
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS DEPG FM RWY 17, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FM THE RGT ENG. THE PLT CONFIRMED A LOSS OF PWR & MADE A RGT TURN BACK TOWARD THE RWY, THEN RPRTD HE HAD 'LOST BOTH ENGINES.' THE ACFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD DURING A LNDG ON ROUGH, ROCKY TRRN ABT 1/4 MI SW OF THE RWY THRESHOLD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD JUST CHANGED OWNERSHIP. DURING PRE- PURCHASE INSPN IN FLORIDA, METAL PARTICLES WERE FND IN THE OIL SCREENS OF BOTH ENGS. OIL WAS CHGD & FLUSHED, BUT METAL PARTICLES WERE FND AFTER ANOTHER ENG RUN. IN MAY 1989, THE RGT ENG WAS REPLACED WITH AN ENG FM ANOTHER ACFT. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN TO OAKLAND, CA, WHERE IT WAS PAINTED & NEW INTERIOR WAS INSTALLED. A LCL MECH NOTED METAL PARTICLES IN BOTH ENG OIL SCREENS & RCMNDD OIL ANALYSIS, BUT FERRYING PLT REFUSED. AFTER FLT TO HAWAII, NO OIL STAIN NOTED ON FUSELAGE BFRFLT ON 9/9/89. EXAM OF WRECKAGE REVEALED BOTH ENGS FAILED FM DETONATION. HVY OIL STREAKS FND BHND RGT ENG, SOME STREAKS OF OIL FND BHND LEFT ENG. RGT ENG CRANKSHAFT/ROD BRG SURFACE WAS 0.010' UNDER STANDARD, BUT ROD BRGS WERE STANDARD SIZE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 203 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 148 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,790 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 2, 1988; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KOA at 1:14 am
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from KOA
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.
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.