Primary finding
Probable cause
a delamination of the wooden propeller.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
According to controllers on duty in the air traffic control tower at the kailua airport, shortly after the pilot reported 7 miles northeast of the airport for landing, he radioed that he was loosing power and would not make the airport. In his statement, the pilot said he was inbound to the airport when the wooden propeller delaminated and a severe vibration shook the aircraft. The pilot said he was forced to shut down the engine and was attempting to land on an abandoned airstrip behind a beach resort hotel, but had insufficient altitude. The aircraft touched down on the beach, collided with palm trees, and careened into the hotel bar. There were no ground injuries.
Source record
Factual narrative
On December 21, 1994, at 0753 Hawaii standard time, a homebuilt experimental Render Long-EZ airplane, N3250K, collided with trees and a hotel building during a forced landing attempt at Kailua- Kona, Hawaii. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power while the aircraft was descending toward the Kona airport. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed in the multiple obstacle collision sequence. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. There were no injuries to persons on the ground. The flight originated at the Kahului airport on the island of Maui, Hawaii, on the day of the accident at 0730 as a cross-country flight to Kona. According to controllers on duty in the air traffic control tower at the Kailua airport, shortly after the pilot reported 7 miles northeast of the airport for landing, he radioed that he was loosing power and would not make the airport. In his statement, the pilot said he was inbound to the airport when the wooden propeller delaminated and a severe vibration shook the aircraft. The pilot said he was forced to shut down the engine and was attempting to land on an abandoned airstrip behind the Kona Village Resort Hotel, but had insufficient altitude. The aircraft touched down on the beach, collided with palm trees, and careened into the hotel bar. There were no ground injuries. -