History of Flight
On December 10, 2017, about 1105 Hawaii-Aleutian standard time, a Cessna U206G airplane, N732DF, impacted remote mountainous terrain during an instrument approach to Molokai Airport (MKK), Kaunakakai, Hawaii. The private pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by a postimpact fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot, who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions were reported at MKK at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed for the visual flight rules flight, which originated from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii, about 1030.
The pilot and his wife were returning to their home on Molokai. Radar and air traffic control information indicated that the pilot departed Honolulu and received VFR flight following services from the Honolulu Combined Control Facility. The pilot flew to the west side of Molokai. About 1050, the pilot requested the VOR-A instrument approach at MKK. He was instructed to maintain VFR and issued a heading change, which he acknowledged. At 1053, the MKK tower controller informed the facility that MKK was "IFR." At 1055, the pilot advised he had obtained the latest weather information (ATIS Juliet); he was cleared for the approach at 1056 and instructed to contact MKK tower at 1058.
After several turns on the west side, the flight continued south and then turned east toward MKK. About 1101, when the airplane was about 6 miles from the runway, the tower controller advised the pilot that he was south of the final approach course. The pilot responded that he was "coming back," that he was "right at the edge of VFR," and that he had "pretty good visibility." No further communications were received, and radar contact was lost shortly thereafter. At 1106, the MKK tower controller reported loss of radar and radio contact. The wreckage was located by the Maui County Fire Department at 1213, about 3.35 miles southwest of the airport.
Another pilot who departed shortly after reported checking weather radar and seeing precipitation on the north side of Molokai but MKK reporting VFR. After departing Honolulu airspace, the controller notified him that MKK was under instrument conditions. He was not instrument rated and returned to Honolulu.
Personnel Information
The pilot's logbook was not available for review; his recency of experience could not be determined. On his most recent FAA medical certificate application (March 6, 2015), he reported 2,697 total flight hours. A flight instructor who conducted the pilot's most recent flight review on April 25, 2017, described the pilot as a competent VFR pilot but not proficient in instrument flight. The instructor did not endorse an instrument proficiency check. The pilot held an instrument rating, but his recency and total instrument experience could not be determined.
Aircraft Information
Maintenance records were not available. The airplane was equipped for IFR operations per manufacturer data, but whether required IFR inspections had been performed could not be determined. There was no evidence of onboard weather equipment or a terrain awareness and warning system, nor was it required. A damaged tablet computer was found; the pilot's subscription to the ForeFlight application, capable of displaying weather and terrain information, had expired several months before the accident.
Meteorological Information
The closest weather observation site (MKK, about 4 miles northeast of the accident site at 443 ft msl) reported marginal VFR conditions throughout the morning. The 1006 observation included 6 miles visibility, light rain, mist, broken ceiling at 1,400 ft and 3,300 ft msl, and overcast at 5,500 ft. ATIS Juliet reported 4 miles visibility, light rain, mist, ceiling 1,400 ft broken with a broken layer at 3,300 ft. A special observation at 1103 reported wind from 030° at 8 knots, 6 miles visibility in mist, scattered clouds at 1,200 ft, broken at 1,700 ft, overcast at 4,800 ft, temperature 71°F, dew point 70°F, altimeter 30.04 inHg. Remarks indicated rain ended at 1103. An Area Forecast at 1030 listed marginal VFR ceilings and scattered showers, with an AIRMET for mountain obscuration. The pilot did not access official weather briefing services.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was in remote, mountainous terrain on Molokai Ranch at about 1,285 ft msl, 3.35 miles southwest of runway 5 threshold. A postaccident photograph showed a low cloud layer at the site. The wreckage was on a ridge with a 50° incline and destroyed by fire. Impact with trees on a northeasterly heading was observed. The fuselage from the firewall to mid-empennage was consumed by fire. Control cable continuity was established. The flaps were retracted; elevator trim at 15° trailing edge up. The fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position. Cockpit instrumentation was mostly destroyed; the altimeter Kollsman window set at 30.25, heading indicator at 350°, heading bug at 270°. The attitude indicator gyro showed rotational scoring. Both seats and restraint systems were consumed. The engine was intact with impact and thermal damage; propeller blades were attached with deformation. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were noted.
Additional Information
FAA Advisory Circular 61-134 discusses controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) risk. The pilot's last FAA medical certificate expired March 31, 2017. The family provided a BasicMed checklist, but the pilot did not complete the program requirements. An autopsy attributed death to multiple blunt force injuries. Severe coronary atherosclerosis was identified, but there was no evidence of pulmonary thromboemboli. Toxicology tests were negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and drugs.