Honolulu ulykken - Curt Lewis

 

Accident: Trans/Rhoades B732 at Honolulu on Jul 2nd 2021, ditched about 2nm out of Honolulu

 

A Transair/Rhoades Aviation Boeing 737-200, registration N810TA performing flight T4-810 from Honolulu,HI to Kahului,HI (USA) with 2 crew, was climbing out of Honolulu's runway 08R when the crew stopped the climb at about 2000 feet reporting they had lost the #1 engine (JT8D, left hand). Tower cleared the flight for a visual approach to runway 04R. The aircraft began to descend while trying to position for a return to Honolulu's runway 04R. The crew advised they might lose their other engine, it was running very hot, and requested the coast guard out, and then reported: "We have all the Rhoades 810" and requested to turn right towards the airport and received clearance. Tower subsequently cleared the aircraft to turn onto a heading of 020 for runway 04R, the crew reported they no longer had the airport in sight. Tower advised they had a low level alert, tower cleared the flight to land on any runway, all operations at the airport were stopped, emergency services were called out and the coast guard were on their way out. Tower provided a heading of 310 degrees directly to Honolulu's Kalaeloa Airport, in the end tower did not receive a reply from the aircraft anymore. The aircraft did not make it to the airport and needed to ditch in the Ocean about 2.7nm short of the Kalaeloa's runway 29 (last position received from the transponder: N21.275 W158.026 at 50 feet MSL at 113 knots over ground at 01:45L (11:45Z)). Both crew were rescued, one pilot was airlifted to a hospital, the other taken ashore by a rescue boat and taken to a hospital. Both pilots received serious injuries, one of the them is in critical condition, the other in serious condition.

ATC further informed rescue services that they had lost communication with the aircraft, the aircraft had lost an engine, no further information was known to ATC.

The FAA confirmed the aircraft developed engine trouble and needed to land in the water while attempting to return to Honolulu.

The coast guard reported the aircraft ditched in the waters about 2nm short of Kalaeloa Airport. Both crew were taken to Queens Medical Center, their condition however is unknown.

On Jul 3rd 2021 Coast Guard men involved in the rescue reported the debris field of the aircraft was about 1.25nm long. They discovered both pilots, one (58) was standing at the tail of the aircraft waving at the helicopter, the other clinged to a cargo net of cargo swimming around the aircraft. When the aircraft sank, the one pilot at the tail momentarily disappeared, they got sight of him again while he was struggling to stay afloat and lifted him into the helicopter at 02:58L. The pilot was exhausted and unable to talk, but was conscious. The other pilot (50) was rescued by a boat at 02:51L, the pilot had head injuries and needed to be cleaned from aircraft fuel before he walked off the boat on his own and was received by medical staff who took him to the hospital.

The NTSB have opened an investigation into the accident stating: "NTSB sending team of 7 investigators for investigation of Friday's crash of a Transair Boeing 737-200 cargo airplane in the waters off the island of Oahu near Honolulu." The NTSB subsequently added, a total of 10 investigators is being dispatched to Honolulu.

The hospital reported one of the pilots (58) is in the intense care unit in critical condition, the other (50) received serious head injuries and multiple lacerations and is in serious condition.

Rhoades Aviation Inc. trades as Transair operating 5 Boeing 737.