Were there any fatalities in the 1974-04-11 Beechcraft H18 accident?

The accident was fatal, resulting in 11 fatalities.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1974-04-11 involved a Beechcraft H18, registration N28358, operated by Island Air USA, at Hilo, United States of America.

1974-04-11: Beechcraft H18 (N28358) — Island Air USA — Hilo, United States of America

11 fatalitiesHilo, United States of AmericaFlight

A twin-engine airplane crashed into a mountainside near Hilo during flight in poor weather, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

During an operation conducted in unfavorable meteorological conditions, a twin engine airplane collided with the side of a mountain situated to the northwest of Hilo. The impact occurred while the aircraft was navigating through difficult weather. Following the accident, search efforts located the debris field approximately one day after the event.

There were 11 fatalities recorded in the crash, as all individuals on board perished in the accident. No survivors were identified at the wreckage site.

Findings

Investigations into the crash revealed that the pilot was operating the aircraft under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) despite the presence of adverse weather. The investigation highlighted several critical contributing factors, most notably flying under VFR in conditions with low ceilings and high terrain obstructions.

Probable cause

The pilot attempted to operate the aircraft under visual flight rules while encountering low cloud ceilings and mountainous terrain during poor weather.