At about 1345 Hawaiian standard time, the airplane impacted the southeast side of a ridge while approaching the Honolulu International Airport. The non-instrument rated private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed in the area surrounding the accident site; the pilot was receiving VFR flight following. The pilot had an extensive history flying on the island and had performed thousands of flights in the area. A witness heard the airplane crash into a ridge about 50 yards from his location. He could hear the engine all the way; the airplane did not seem to turn or pull up. Visibility was so bad that he was not able to see the airplane.
January 10, 2010, Honolulu, Hawaii, Piper PA-32-300
At about 1345 Hawaiian standard time, the airplane impacted the southeast side of a ridge while approaching the Honolulu International Airport. The non-instrument rated private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed in the area surrounding the accident site; the pilot was receiving VFR flight following. The pilot had an extensive history flying on the island and had performed thousands of flights in the area.
Key Takeaways:
- A non-instrument rated private pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries when their airplane impacted a ridge near Honolulu International Airport.
- The accident occurred under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), despite the pilot receiving VFR flight following and having extensive local flight experience.
- A witness reported extremely poor visibility and heard the engine operating until impact, with no observed attempts to turn or pull up.
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