Loss of Engine Power Implicated in Waiehu Emergency Landing

Photo courtesy Ryan Piros/County of Maui.

By Wendy Osher

The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report saying an emergency plane landing in Waiehu last month was preceded by a loss of engine power.

The Piper single-engine, four-seat aircraft made an emergency landing about 50-yards from the shoreline, makai of Lower Waiehu Beach Road on Sunday, June 16, authorities said.

According to the report, the pilot told NTSB investigators that while in cruise flight, he noticed a slight hesitation in the engine on two occasions, within 5 to 10 minutes of each other.

Photo courtesy Ryan Piros/County of Maui.

Shortly after performing troubleshooting procedures a second time, the pilot said the engine began to run rough and noticed a fluctuation in engine revolutions, the report said.

“Subsequently, the engine lost power and the pilot initiated a forced landing to an open area,” the NTSB report stated.

During the forced landing, the NTSB report states that the airplane struck various bushes and trees before coming to rest.

According to the report, no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-county flight from Honolulu to Kahului, Maui. The commercial pilot and his three passengers were not injured in the incident, authorities said.

Upon further examination, the report states that inspectors found structural damage to both the left wing and fuselage of the Piper PA-28-181 aircraft.

The plane was registered to Mokulele Iki LLC., out of Kīhei, Hawaiʻi.