Synopsis
Aloha Islandair Flight 1712, a De Havilland DHC-6 aircraft registered as N707PV, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Maui to Molokai, Hawaii, at night. The aircraft collided with mountainous/hilly terrain near Halawa Bay, Hawaii, while en route.
Sequence of Events
The impact occurred at an elevation of about 500 feet, shortly after the aircraft had descended over water and then crossed the shoreline. Evidence indicated that the captain had made a navigational error and mistakenly believed that he was circumnavigating the northern portion of Molokai Island. The aircraft crashed while on a heading that was parallel with the island's northern shoreline. Low clouds obscured the mountain tops in the area of the accident.
Findings
The investigation found evidence of inadequate supervision of personnel, training, and operations by Aloha Islandair management. Additionally, there was evidence of insufficient oversight of Aloha Islandair by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during a period of the airline's rapid operational expansion.
Probable Cause
The investigation did not explicitly state a probable cause, but evidence pointed to the captain's navigational error, combined with inadequate management supervision and insufficient FAA oversight.