Beech D-18H accident near Lanai, Hawaii, February 14, 1992
On February 14, 1992 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Beech D-18H, registered N33AP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lanai, Hawaii (Lanai airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPENSATE FOR AN ENCOUNTER WITH A WINDSHEAR PHENOMENA. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF A LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR WARNING SYSTEM OR A SYSTEM FOR THE COLLECTION AND DISSEMINATION OF WEATHER ADVISORIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1992 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lanai, Hawaii · Lanai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-18H · all D-18Hs on the register
- Registration
- N33AP · registry record · serial BA-748
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT THE APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT WAS NORMAL, WITH A 100 KNOT INDICATED AIRSPEED. THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS WERE ABOUT 110 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS DURING THE APPROACH; HOWEVER, ON SHORT FINAL HE ENCOUNTERED A VERY STRONG GUST FROM THE RIGHT. THE PILOT CORRECTED FOR THE WIND GUST THEN IT STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY DROPPED HARD TO THE RUNWAY WITHOUT WARNING. THE PILOT SAID HE SUSPECTED A WINDSHEAR ENCOUNTER WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES SAID THE APPROACH SEEMED NORMAL WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE RUNWAY AND BOUNCED. THE WITNESSES SAID THAT A THUNDERSTORM HAD PASSED THROUGH THE AREA JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT'S APPROACH.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,571 hours in all; 464 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 1,429 as pilot in command; 468 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 9,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 5:35 pm
- Runway 3, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from LNY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.