Piper PA-28-181 accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii, January 19, 1991
On January 19, 1991, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3043D, was destroyed in an accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CFI'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT. A FACTOR WAS THE MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE PROCEDURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1991
- Place
- Mokuleia, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3043D · no longer on the register · serial 287990174
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON A STUDENT'S FIRST TRAINING FLIGHT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DITCHED IN THE SURF LINE. THE POWER SETTINGS AND METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING. THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT RECOMMEND THE USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT AS A NORMAL PRECAUTION DURING APPROACH AND LANDING, AND THE CFI DID NOT INDICATE THE USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,340 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,250 as pilot in command; 920 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 287 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 4, 1991; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cosmo Flying School INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 2:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.