What happened
A twin-engine aircraft departed from Honolulu Airport with the intention of participating in a local airshow. The flight was carrying one pilot and 11 skydivers. During the flight, as the aircraft was maneuvering toward the designated jump area, it entered an uncontrolled spin.
In an attempt to escape the descent, four individuals successfully deployed their parachutes. However, the remaining occupants were unable to exit before the twin-engine airplane impacted the waters of Pearl Harbor. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. Of the 12 people on board, there were 11 fatalities and one survivor, who sustained serious injuries.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified that the aircraft stalled and transitioned into a spin because the pilot did not maintain sufficient airspeed. Several contributing factors were noted during the inquiry:
- The aircraft was improperly loaded
- The center of gravity was estimated to be 10 inches behind the permitted limit
- There was inadequate preparation prior to the flight
- The individual operating the aircraft lacked the necessary qualifications