Event Overview
On April 21, 2010, at about 0936 Hawaiian standard time, an AirBorne WindSport Edge XT-912-L weight-shift-control light sport aircraft, registration N34TH, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the water of Kealakekua Bay near Captain Cook, Hawaii. The light-sport pilot and his student suffered fatal injuries. The pilot was operating under the business name Tedd's Flying Adventures, conducting an instructional flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Flight Sequence
The aircraft departed from Kona International Airport at 0912. Earlier that day, the same aircraft had conducted a first departure at 0748, returning at 0814. The passenger on the accident flight had flown with the pilot once before; the ride was given to her as a birthday gift.
Personnel and Aircraft
The 38-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating obtained in December 2002, and a light sport pilot certificate with a weight-shift-control rating obtained in March 2009. He became an instructor in weight-shift-control aircraft on November 1, 2009. At the time of the accident, his logbook indicated 375 hours of total flight time.
The single-engine (pusher), propeller-driven, two-seat (in-line) weight-shift-control aircraft was manufactured by AirBorne WindSports Pty. Ltd. in October 2009. Its maximum takeoff gross weight was 992 pounds, powered by a Rotax 912 UL four-stroke engine producing 80 horsepower. The aircraft featured a pilot-passenger pod suspended by a triangular frame, with weight-shift control for pitch and roll. It was equipped with dual flight controls. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) included limits: no aerobatics, bank angle not to exceed 60 degrees, pitch not more than 45 degrees from horizontal, and avoidance of negative G loads.
The U.S. representative for AirBorne WindSports stated that he assembled the aircraft in Hawaii and was asked by the pilot to leave off the hardware for a recovery parachute. The representative never saw a parachute among the pilot's equipment. The Tedd's Flying Adventures website claimed the aircraft had a recovery parachute, but photos showed none. Passengers were provided with a helmet/headset combination and an automatic inflatable personal flotation device. The last 100-hour maintenance inspection was completed on April 9, 2010, at 100 hours total time.
Witness Accounts
Several witnesses observed the aircraft maneuvering near a 450-foot-tall cliff descending directly into the ocean. Most estimated the aircraft's height at 300 to 400 feet above the water, while one witness estimated it at about 100 feet. The aircraft approached the cliff on a northwesterly heading at about a 45-degree intercept angle. As it flew very close to the cliff, it banked left and "flipped over." Witnesses heard a loud popping sound, saw the wings fold around the fuselage, and the aircraft descended in a spiraling, corkscrew-like manner. One witness described it as "like a butterfly landing on a flower." The aircraft impacted the bay surface about 100 to 300 feet from the cliff base and sank immediately.
Post-Impact and Recovery
Several snorkel tour boats were in the area. Two snorkel tour guides dove into gasoline-covered water and recovered both occupants. The boats transported them to a boat ramp about a mile away, where Fire and Rescue personnel took over. The aircraft was never recovered.
Environmental Conditions
At 0953, weather at Kona International Airport (17 nautical miles north) reported wind from 270 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 77°F, dew point 61°F, and altimeter 30.09 inches of Mercury. A snorkel tour boat captain who witnessed the accident described the weather as sunny, the ocean very calm, and wind less than 5 knots.
Medical and Toxicological Findings
An autopsy of the pilot was conducted. Toxicological tests by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs.
Regulatory Context
Federal Aviation Administration regulations under 14 CFR Part 91.327 permit operation of light-sport aircraft for compensation or hire only for towing gliders or conducting flight training.