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NTSB factual report: Weather was a major factor in Molokai crash

Two people killed in Dec. 2017 incident, 3 miles from airport

Bill and Lynn Vogt were killed when their single-engine plane crashed into a mountainous area on Molokai Ranch land near the Molokai Airport. They had just returned from an out-of-state trip and were heading home to Molokai. Maui Police Department photos

Bill and Lynn Vogt headed home to Molokai from Oahu in a single-engine, wheel-equipped Textron Aviation aircraft after an out-of-state trip near noon Dec. 10, 2017.

As the couple approached Molokai Airport, they encountered turbulent weather and were south of the approach course for Runway 5. Bill Vogt, who was piloting the aircraft, acknowledged the Molokai traffic controller’s advisory about 6 miles from the airport, saying that he was “coming back,” that he was “right at the edge of VFR (visual flight rules),” and that he had “pretty good visibility.”

No further communications were received from Vogt. Radar contact was lost shortly thereafter.

At 11:06 a.m., the controller notified authorities about the missing plane. The Maui Fire Department located the wreckage at 12:13 p.m., 3.35 miles southwest of the airport.

Bill Vogt, 78, and Lynn Vogt, 74, were killed in the crash.

A single-engine wheel-equipped Textron Aviation aircraft crashed about 3 miles southwest of Molokai Airport on Dec. 10, 2017, killing two people aboard. Visible at the top of the photo is Runway 5, which the plane was headed for in turbulent weather conditions.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s factual report, released Jan. 6, largely was focused on the weather conditions. The report is a prelude to the NTSB’s final report on the crash and the probable cause, which is expected around Feb. 12.

The factual report says that the couple was flying home in a Textron Aviation (formerly Cessna) U206G aircraft departing Daniel K. Inouye International Airport at about 10:30 a.m. No flight plan was filed and visual flight rules were in effect.

Vogt flew to the west side of Molokai, and at about 10:50 a.m. requested a VOR-A instrument approach to Molokai Airport. VOR-A is circling only approach to the airport.

The pilot was instructed to maintain visual flight rules and was issued a heading change, which he acknowledged. At 10:53 a.m., the airport notified the Honolulu Combined Control Facility, which was communicating with Vogt, that Molokai Airport now was under instrument flight rules.

At 10:55 a.m., Vogt told the Molokai controller that he had the most recent weather information at the airport. At 10:56 a.m., the plane was cleared for approach at Molokai Airport, the report said.

Vogt made several turns on the west side of Molokai, continued south, then began a turn to the east toward the airport. At 11:01 a.m. with the plane about 6 miles from the airport, the controller advised the pilot that he was south of the final approach course. Vogt responded by saying he was “coming back” and that while he had “pretty good visibility,” he was “right on the edge” of visual flight rules, the report said.

Radar contact was lost. The burned wreckage was located on mountainous Molokai Ranch land in Maunaloa at about 1,285 feet in elevation a little more than an hour later. Firefighters who arrived on scene confirmed the deaths of the couple, the report said.

Another pilot who departed Honolulu for Molokai shortly after the Vogts initially received visual flight rules but saw precipitation on the north side of Molokai on weather radar. He was later notified that the airport was under instrument flight rules and turned back because he was not instrument-rated.

Kimball Millikan told the NTSB that “the weather was overcast at about 6,000 feet . . . but clear along my route.”

“Some darker clouds toward the north side of Molokai,” he continued. “I could not see the west end of Molokai at 1,500 feet when I turned around and began to climb to 2,000 feet. I want to thank the controller for advising me of the IMC conditions that morning.”

The weather conditions reported at 11:03 a.m. were 6 miles visibility with broken cloud ceiling of 1,700 feet. There were light rain and mist with winds from the north-northeast at 9 mph. Radar images at 11:02 a.m. showed bands of precipitation near the accident site.

There was some question about Vogt’s proficiency in instrument flight, the report said. The flight instructor, who conducted Vogt’s most recent flight review in April 2017, said he was very competent under visual flight rules. He held an instrument rating, but the instructor did not endorse Vogt for an instrument proficiency check. It could not be determined how much actual or flight simulator instrument experience he had.

An autopsy showed no drugs, ethanol or carbon monoxide in Vogt’s system. He died of blunt force injuries, the report said.

Maintenance records for the aircraft, built in 1978, were not available to the NTSB. Manufacturer and airworthiness information for the plane showed that it was equipped for instrument flight but whether the system had been certified could not be determined, the report said.

There also was no evidence that the plane was equipped with onboard weather equipment or a terrain awareness and warning system. Bill Vogt is listed as the registered owner.

The wreckage, which was destroyed by fire from the crash, was located on the western side of a ridge with dirt and low-growth vegetation that crested about 100 feet above the surrounding area with a 50-degree decline.

There was damage to 20-foot trees, which indicated that the plane impacted them from a northeasterly heading. There were multiple tree branches with propeller cut marks along the wreckage path, the report said.

While most of the fuselage was burned, the engine was intact though with impact and fire damage. All propellers were found underneath the cockpit and were attached to engine crankshaft.

No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the engine and airframe were noted, the report said.

The report also pointed out that Runway 5, to which the Vogts were headed, has a 1,280-foot mountain about 3.2 miles from the threshold of the runway. The mountain did not have obstruction lighting, which was not required.

At the conclusion, the report said that controlled flight into terrain “occurs when an airworthy aircraft is flown, under the control of a qualified pilot, into terrain (water or obstacles) with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending collision.”

“The importance of complete weather information, understanding the significance of the weather information, and being able to correlate the pilot’s skills and training, aircraft capabilities and operating environment with an accurate forecast cannot be emphasized enough,” the report said.

* Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com.

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