What happened
During a scheduled night training operation, a four-engine airplane departed from Barbers Point NAS to provide support for vessels positioned near Kauai Island. While the flight was maintaining an altitude of 3,000 feet amidst restricted visibility, the aircraft collided with the slope of a mountain. The impact caused the plane to disintegrate upon hitting the terrain.
The wreckage was located on a rugged section of Kalepa Ridge, situated between the Honopu and Kalalau valleys along the Na Pali Coast. There were 14 fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Investigations into the accident determined that the pilot did not identify the approaching mountain due to the low visibility conditions. The primary factor in the crash was that the pilot failed to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the terrain during the mission.