Incident Overview
A ferry flight from Oakland, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, ended with the aircraft being ditched in the Pacific Ocean after the pilot declared a low fuel emergency. The pilot reported that, under flight planned conditions, the aircraft departed Oakland with sufficient fuel to reach Honolulu with a 2-hour reserve. However, winds at flight altitude, which were reported as light and variable at the preflight weather briefing, developed into a significant headwind during the flight.
Timeline
At 7 hours and 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot calculated that the fuel remaining was 8 hours and 40 minutes, with 7 hours and 40 minutes left to the destination. Three hours later, the pilot determined that the 2-hour reserve was depleted. He declared an emergency and diverted toward the closest airport, which was Hilo, Hawaii. Approximately 2.5 hours later, prior to fuel system exhaustion, the pilot elected to ditch the aircraft with power. The pilot evacuated the aircraft before it sank and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Fuel and Weather Factors
The pilot stated that the aircraft departed Oakland with enough fuel for the planned flight plus a 2-hour reserve. The significant headwind encountered at altitude was not anticipated based on the preflight weather briefing, which indicated light and variable winds. The headwind reduced the aircraft's groundspeed, increasing fuel consumption beyond the planned profile.
Rescue
After ditching, the pilot successfully evacuated the aircraft and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. No further details about the pilot's condition or the aircraft's fate were provided in the source.