Plane lost oil pressure before emergency landing on Big Isle, preliminary report says
A single-engine Cessna plane experienced loss of oil pressure before the engine lost power, forcing the pilot to conduct an emergency landing in Waikoloa in July, according to a preliminary report.
The National Transportation Safety Board released the report Tuesday on the forced landing of the Cessna TU206 plane on July 3. The plane came to rest in a ditch off of Waikoloa Road at approximately 10:35 a.m.
No injuries were reported.
According to the report, the pilot and passenger aboard the small aircraft operated by Aerial Imaging Inc. headed to Kona from the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu to conduct aerial survey work.
When they arrived in the area, the pilot noticed loss of oil pressure, prompting him to change course and head toward the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport.
“About half-way to the airport, the engine lost power,” the report said. “(The pilot) was able to glide the airplane toward a stretch of highway that was mostly free of vehicles.”
Don't miss out on what's happening!
Stay in touch with top news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It's FREE!
When he maneuvered the plane to avoid a car, the right wing struck a road sign and the plane came to rest in a ditch, approximately one mile south of Waikoloa Village.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage to its right wing.