Airplane Crashes into Eucalyptus Grove in Near-Vertical Descent (N306DJ)

Accident Circumstances

The airplane crashed into a densely forested grove of Eucalyptus trees in a near-vertical nose-down attitude. There were no witnesses to the accident. Family members indicated that the flight was intended as a tour of the northeast coasts of Molokai and Maui islands, with a planned return by 1700 for a family function. The pilot also intended to view recently purchased property near the accident site.

Aircraft Damage

An aerial survey of the accident site revealed no damage to the surrounding treetops in the Eucalyptus grove. The fuselage was uniformly crushed from the nose past the aft bulkhead area. Measured crush lines located on the fuselage near the doorframe and right main landing gear strut, and the top portion of the doorframe/fuselage spar area, revealed an 80-degree crush angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the airplane. Adjacent to the left wing was a large Eucalyptus tree. Multiple sections of tree bark had separated from the tree starting at a height of about 75 feet and culminating at the base of the tree. The left wing had a semicircular impact mark about midspan, with a brown color transfer similar to the Eucalyptus tree. The leading edge of the wing also had a small tree limb embedded in the impacted area. The engine was buried about 12 inches into the ground at a near-vertical angle.

Examination

No discrepancies were found with either the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.