Piper PA28 accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii, August 21, 2018
On August 21, 2018 at about 3:05 am local time, a 1969 Piper PA28, registered N98146, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Mokuleia, Hawaii (Dillingham Airfield). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the flight instructor's inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2018 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Mokuleia, Hawaii · Dillingham Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1969 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N98146 · no longer on the register · serial 28-26072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, before the flight, he requested that the airplane be refueled, and his subsequent preflight inspection revealed that the airplane had been fueled to the specified level. While conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings during the instructional flight, the engine lost power about 300 ft above ground level, and the instructor performed a forced landing to an open field adjacent to the runway. The airplane impacted a fence and came to rest upright. Postaccident examination revealed that the right-wing fuel tank contained about 7 to 8 gallons of fuel, with a slow fuel leak, and the left-wing fuel tank was void of fuel and undamaged. The fuel selector was positioned to the left-wing tank. An engine test run revealed no anomalies. Interviews with the staff of the fixed base operator from which the instructor ordered fuel revealed that a fuel order was received for the accident airplane; however, the airplane was not refueled before the accident flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,281.9 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 162.5 in the last 90 days; 57.7 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 3,408.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 30, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 17 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 12.1 in the last 90 days; 9.1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 2018; 85 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Academy Hawaii
The flight
- Departed from: HLN Honolulu HI at 2:34 am
- Destination: HLN Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 9,007 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from PHHI, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on June 3, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - FBO Manager | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Refuelers Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Engine Run Email | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.