Aerospatiale AS-350B accident near Hana, Hawaii, September 16, 1992
On September 16, 1992 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350B (helicopter), registered N350SM, was destroyed in an accident near Hana, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 7 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT INADEQUATELY EVALUATING THE ENROUTE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT MAKING THE INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO SEE AND AVOID THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DUE TO THE THUNDERSTORMS AND OBSCURATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1992 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hana, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350B · all AS-350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N350SM · registry record · serial 1488
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INTENDED 45 MINUTE SIGHT SEEING HELICOPTER FLIGHT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AT ABOUT 1032 HOURS. ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS INCLUDING THUNDERSTORMS, RAIN SHOWERS, AND POOR VISIBILITY WERE REPORTED IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE THROUGHOUT THE MORNING. THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT PILOT HAD A RADIO CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER SIGHT SEEING TOUR PILOT BETWEEN 1055 HOURS AND ABOUT 1100 HOURS. THIS PILOT CONTACTED THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT PILOT TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHICH ROUTE SHE SHOULD TAKE TO AVOID THE ADVERSE WEATHER. SHE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT PILOT'S LAST CONVERSATION WITH HER AS 'DON'T COME DOWN THIS WAY, THE WEATHER IS GETTING REAL BAD.' A WITNESS LOCATED ON THE GROUND IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED RAIN SHOWERS AND MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION AT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE SAW A BLUE AND WHITE HELICOPTER FLYING IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND HE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A HELICOPTER WOULD BE FLYING SO CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAINS IN CONSIDERATION OF THE ADVERSE WEATHER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED A 30 DEGREE SLOPE IN A LEVEL 15 DEGREE RIGHT BANK. WRECKAGE AND DEBRIS WERE SCATTERED OVER A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 175 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT LOCATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,021 hours in all; 1,620 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 6,721 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,428 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 18, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hawaii Hellicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OGG Kahului HI at 8:32 pm
- Destination: OGG
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: overcast at 50 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.