N689KACessna 208B · 2011

On December 17, 2024, about 1515 Hawaii-Aleutian Standard time, a turbine-powered Cessna 208B airplane, N689KA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii. The two pilots onboard were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

According to the operator, Kamaka Air, the instructor pilot, seated in the left seat, and the pilot receiving instruction, seated in the right seat, departed the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (PHNL), Honolulu, at 1514. The purpose of the flight was to provide the pilot receiving instruction with additional training as part of the operator’s Second-In-Command training program. The planned flight was expected to go to Lanai Airport (PHNY), Lanai City, Hawaii, to perform flight maneuvers as well as practice instrument approach procedures. The operator reported that about 80 gallons of fuel was added to each wing tank just prior to departure.

According to archived air traffic control communications, the airplane was cleared to depart runway 4L and was expected to follow the published Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Shoreline Six departure. The procedure called for departing traffic to fly runway heading, then turn right.

A preliminary review of archived voice communication information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that shortly after departure, the Honolulu tower controller contacted the airplane and asked to confirm if they were turning right. The instructor pilot responded by saying: “we are…we have…we are out of control here.”

The accident airplane was equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS– B), which provides position information via satellite navigation or other sensors and periodically broadcasts it, enabling the airplane to be tracked. The accident airplane was also equipped was Spidertracks, which enabled real-time flight tracking, automated flight watch, two-way communication, and flight data monitoring (FDM) for the airplane. According to the ADS-B data and Spidertracks data, the airplane departed runway 4L, and near the departure end of the runway the airplane immediately began a left turn.

As the airplane continued a shallow climbing left turn, it eventually passed over an industrial area to the northeast of PHNL. As the flight progressed on a north-northeasterly heading, the left turn continued, and the airplane turned to a south westerly heading. The airplane’s left turn continued to steepen, and it eventually descended nose down into the industrial area just north of PHNL. See figure. 1

Figure 1. Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS– B) overlay, which depicts N689KA’s departure from Runway 4L.

The airplane subsequently impacted an abandoned concrete building about 1,975 ft from the departure end of the runway. The left wing made initial contact with one of the large air conditioner units on the roof. The airplane then struck a concrete stairwell structure located on the roof of the abandoned building, then it continued into an adjacent parking lot to the south of the building. A postcrash fire ensued, which incinerated much of the wreckage.

The main wreckage came to rest about 120 feet beyond the initial impact point.

The airplane’s empennage was separated during the impact sequence, and it was located in the upper portion of the stairwell structure near the roof of the building. Outboard portions of the airplane’s left wing were found on the roof of the building, near the initial impact point. The fuselage, and both wings were located in the parking lot to the south of the building.

The flight control system exhibited multiple breaks of the control cables due to impact and fire related damage. Sections of the flight control system were retained for further examination. The right wing was impact separated and located in a ditch about 100 ft from the main wreckage. The majority of the left wing was found in the main wreckage, underneath an aft section of the fuselage. The left flap was not observed in the main wreckage and was likely consumed in the post impact fire. The left wing was separated from the fuselage.

The engine core of the Pratt and Whittney PT6 turbine engine was found in the main wreckage site in front of the cockpit. The Aircraft Data Acquisition System (ADAS), which monitors, and auto-archives critical flight parameters was found in the area of the cockpit wreckage. However, the ADAS housing was breached and its circuit cards exhibited thermal damage. The ADAS housing was retained for further examination. One propeller blade was found in the stairwell structure the airplane impacted. The two remaining propeller blades were found in the main wreckage. The propeller hub was fractured in multiple locations and was found near the right wing.

The instructor pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for Airplane Single Engine Land (ASEL), Airplane Multiengine Land (AMEL), and Instrument airplane. In addition, he was a certificated flight instructor for single engine airplanes. Furthermore, he reported 1746 total hours of civilian flight experience and 376 hours in the last six months as of his last medical exam, which was performed on December 12, 2024. The pilot was issued a First-Class medical certificate without limitations.

The pilot receiving instruction held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for Airplane Single Engine Land (ASEL) and Instrument airplane. Furthermore, he did not report his civilian flight experience as of his last medical exam, which was performed on August 8, 2024, however the operator reported his civilian flight experience to be about 340 hours total. The pilot was issued a First-Class medical certificate without limitations.

The accident sequence was captured by numerous security cameras, vehicle dash-mounted cameras, and other video recording devices. The various recordings were subsequently provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigative team. The various recorded video footage captured the airplane departing runway 4L and beginning a shallow left turn which appeared to steepen significantly prior to impact.

The archived video recordings were sent the NTSB’s vehicle recorders laboratory in Washington D.C., and a detailed NTSB video study is pending.

Two investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Alaska Regional Office, along with a senior aerospace engineer from Washington D.C., responded to the accident site and examined the airplane wreckage on December 18-22. During the detailed on-scene examination, the investigative team retained various components for additional examination and testing, and results are pending.