What happened
A flight consisting of five aircraft was conducting an inter-island tour operation. The group utilized call signs ranging from LANI 6 through LANI 10. The first aircraft, designated as LANI 6, received clearance for takeoff and departed the airport without incident. Following this departure, the pilots of LANI 7, LANI 8, and LANI 9 contacted air traffic control to request taxi clearance.
Air traffic control cleared LANI 7 for takeoff while instructing both LANI 8 and LANI 9 to hold on the runway. The pilot of LANI 9 failed to acknowledge this holding instruction. As LANI 7 began its takeoff roll, the pilot of LANI 9 stopped his aircraft short of the active runway threshold and reported readiness for departure.
The pilot of Beechcraft E18S N162SP, operating as LANI 9, later stated that he had reviewed his pre-takeoff checklist. He believed he heard air traffic control clear LANI 8 for takeoff while simultaneously instructing him to hold on the runway. Based on this perception, he observed what he thought was LANI 8 departing. In reality, Beechcraft C-45G N888M, operating as LANI 8, remained stationary at the holding position. The pilot of LANI 9 proceeded onto the active runway and collided with the rear of LANI 8. Both aircraft sustained damage from the impact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of radio communications and the actions of the pilots involved. The primary finding was a critical breakdown in communication protocol. The pilot of LANI 9 failed to acknowledge the explicit instruction to hold, leading to a false assumption about his clearance status. He misinterpreted the situation, believing he had been cleared for takeoff while observing another aircraft depart.
Findings
The collision occurred due to pilot error involving the failure to acknowledge taxi and runway holding instructions. The pilot of LANI 9 did not verify his position or clearance status before entering the active runway. He operated under the mistaken belief that he had been cleared for takeoff, while the other aircraft in the formation was still holding short of the runway. This lack of situational awareness and failure to follow standard radio communication procedures resulted in the runway incursion and subsequent collision.