Cessna 172G accident near Hilo, Hawaii, August 18, 1991
On August 18, 1991 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N5921R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hilo, Hawaii. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF A NON STANDARD PROPELLER FOR WHICH NO PERFORMANCE CHARTS WERE AVAILABLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1991 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hilo, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5921R · no longer on the register · serial 17253590
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
LESS THAN ONE GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE COMBINED FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT SAID HE PLANNED HIS FLIGHT AND FUEL REQUIRED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. HE PRODUCED THE FLIGHT PLANNING DOCUMENT FOR FAA INSPECTORS, WHO CONFIRMED THE PLAN ACCURATELY DETAILED THE TRIP. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND THAT A MCCAULEY 1C172EM7649 PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED. THE PERFORMANCE CHART IN THE POH WERE BASED ON EITHER A 7653 OR 7651 PROPELLER BEING INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE FAA DETERMINED THAT THE MCCAULEY 7649 PROPELLER IS AN ALLOWABLE INSTALLATION ON THE AIRCRAFT ALTHOUGH IT IS A NON STANDARD ONE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA, THE 7649 PROPELLER WOULD AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED BY A PREVIOUS OWNER, AND THE CURRENT OWNER WAS UNAWARE OF THE NON STANDARD PROPELLER INSTALLATION AND ITS INVALIDATION OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS.
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: 90 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kainoa Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HNM Hana, Maui HI at 10:30 pm
- Destination: ITO Hilo HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from ITO, 5 miles away
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.