Cause of Hawaii-bound plane crash near Half Moon Bay revealed by NTSB

Amy Larson
·2 min read
8

(KRON) — The National Transportation Safety Board released its investigation report on Friday revealing what caused a small private plane to crash into the Pacific Ocean near Half Moon Bay last May.

Everyone onboard the Viking Air DHC-6-400 — a pilot and one passenger — were killed in the accident. Their bodies were never recovered from the ocean, the report states.

The plane took off from Charles M Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa and was destined for Honolulu, Hawaii on the morning of May 20.

Plane crash wreckage is seen in the Pacific Ocean on May 20, 2023. (Image courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)
Plane crash wreckage is seen in the Pacific Ocean on May 20, 2023. (Image courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

The airplane had a ferry tank system installed and 540 gallons of extra fuel added for the trans-Pacific flight. The airplane’s amphibious floats were also removed before takeoff.

Mid-flight and 356 miles off California’s coast, the pilot reported having trouble accessing the plane’s extra fuel, decided to turn around, and attempted to make it back to California, investigators said.

The NTSB report states, “Satellite flight tracking data showed the airplane on a southwest heading over the ocean at an altitude of about 15,500 ft mean sea level. About 4 hours into the flight, the crew contacted ATC and reported that they were having a problem transferring fuel from the ferry tanks and that they intended to return. The flight track reversed course. At 11:45 time, the flight crew reported that they lost fuel pressure and an engine. The last few minutes of the data shows an altitude drop from about 3,600 to about 240 ft msl.”

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The crash’s impact into the ocean caused major damages to the plane and the wings ripped off. The last satellite flight tracking data point was 33 miles off the coast.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew found the partially submerged plane in the ocean and confirmed the pilot and passenger had died.

NTSB-report-Half-Moon-Bay-plane-crashDownload

NTSB’s report writes, “Examination of the wreckage in the water revealed that the fuselage was inverted, and the wings and engines separated from the airplane. The horizontal stabilizer remained partially attached to the empennage and the forward fuselage had impact damage.”

The report did not include the identities of the two victims who died in the crash.

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