Rockwell 500S accident near Kahului, Hawaii, July 15, 1991
On July 15, 1991 at about 5:20 am local time, a Rockwell 500S, registered N260AC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kahului, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER REFUELING. THE FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER TO PUBLISH THE REFUELING INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL, THE INADEQUATE FUEL SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND THE FAILURE OF BOTH ENGINES FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1991 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Kahului, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 500S
- Registration
- N260AC · registry record · serial 3085
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER FILLING THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WITH 52.1 GALLONS OF AVIAITON GAS THAT OVERFLOWED THE FILLER NECK, THE PILOT ASSUMED THE TANKS WERE FULL TO THEIR 156 GALLON CAPACITY, THAT SHOULD PROVIDE 5.2 HOURS OF OPERATION. AFTER OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT FOR 3.3 HOURS BOTH ENGINES FAILED FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE OCEAN.
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: 871 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 659 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,896 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1990; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-E1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MUE Kamuela HI at 3:50 am
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from OGG, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.