What happened
The aircraft was engaged in a local scenic flight over the Hawaiian Islands when it collided with terrain. The pilot reported that he was maneuvering to avoid clouds when the aircraft encountered significant turbulence. This turbulence caused a loss of control, resulting in the aircraft being blown into trees.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were challenging. Winds were blowing from 050 degrees at 37 knots with gusts reaching 45 knots. A SIGMET (Oscar Five) was in effect, forecasting occasional severe turbulence below 9000 feet over and immediately south through west of all mountains across the Hawaiian Islands.
The investigation
The investigation determined that the aircraft collided with terrain during the maneuvering phase. The pilot stated that turbulence caused the loss of control, leading to the impact with trees.
Findings
Contributing factors included:
- Severe turbulence forecast by SIGMET Oscar Five below 9000 feet over mountainous areas.
- High wind speeds from 050 degrees at 37 knots with gusts to 45 knots.
- Loss of control due to turbulence while maneuvering to avoid clouds.