Atr ATR 42-300 accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, December 30, 1995
On December 30, 1995 at about 6:43 pm local time, a Atr ATR 42-300, registered N4202G, was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 23 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight attendant's decision to leave her seat in an area of forecast and known moderate turbulence. The turbulence was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1995 · about 6:43 pm local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 23 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Atr ATR 42-300
- Registration
- N4202G · no longer on the register · serial 0050
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to statements from the captain and the injured flight attendant, the captain was anticipating moderate turbulence for the flight due to frontal system activity over the Hawaiian Islands. The captain briefed the flight attendant on the expected turbulence for the entire flight and kept the seatbelt sign illuminated continuously. Turbulence was encountered for the majority of the flight. Radar vectors were provided for an LDA Runway 26L approach to Honolulu. Also, a descent was made to 7,000 feet with the aircraft heading toward the only clear area between cells shown on both the aircraft and approach control radars. No turbulence had been encountered for several minutes, and the flight attendant elected to do a passenger/seat belt compliance check. The captain said three strong 'jolts' were encountered, accompanied by altitude excursions. The turbulence was encountered as the attendant was returning to her seat in the rear of the aircraft. The flight attendant was bounced off the ceiling twice and sustained a displaced fracture of her left ankle.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,350 hours in all; 830 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,820 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 29, 1995; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 41,000 lb
- Seats: 47
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-120 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mahalo Air
The flight
- Departed from: LIH Lihue HI at 5:57 pm
- Destination: HNL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:18 am from HNL, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 21 |
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.