1974 — Apr 11, Panorama Air sightseeing plane crash, Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii, HI– 11

–11 Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Hawaii.
–11 BAAA. “Crash of a Beechcraft H18 Near Hilo: 11 Killed.”
–11 New York Times. “11 Tourists Killed in Hawaii Air Crash.” 4-13-1974, p. 9.
–11 Star Advertiser, Honolulu. “Friday’s skydiving crash among worst…in Hawaii history.” 6-22-2019.

Narrative Information

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives: “Crash of a Beechcraft H18 Near Hilo: 11 Killed.”

“Apr 11, 1976 at 0941 LT…
“Island Air USA
“N28358…
“Schedule: Kailua-Kona – Kahului
“…Hilo, Hawaii
“…Total fatalities: 11….

“Circumstances: While flying in poor weather conditions, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located northwest of Hilo. The wreckage was found a day later and all 11 occupants have been killed.

“Probable cause: It was determined that the pilot was flying under VFR mode in adverse weather conditions. High obstructions and low ceiling were considered as contributing factors.”

Newspapers

Apr 13, NYT: “HILO, Hawaii, April 12 (UPI) — The wreckage of a twin‐engine tour plane and the bodies of the 11 persons aboard were found today on the side of a mountain on the island of Hawaii. Rescuers who made their way through rugged terrain to the site of the wreckage 31 miles southwest of Hilo reported that they had found 11 bodies. The search party was organized after the wreckage was sighted from the air at the 7,500‐foot level on the east side of the mountain.

“The twin‐engine Beechcraft vanished yesterday after taking off from the “big island” on a scenic tour of the volcano area and coast on the way to the island of Maui. The pilot, Vincent E. Morine, had filed a flight plan to arrive at Kahului at 11:13 A.M., yesterday. His last radio contact was at 9:30 A.M., 17 minutes after take‐off.” (New York Times. “11 Tourists Killed in Hawaii Air Crash.” 4-13-1974, p. 9.)

June 22, 2019: “….Here’s a list of major air crashes and incidents, in descending chronological order, based on National Transportation Safety Board reports: ….

“April 11, 1974: Eleven people died when a Panorama Air Tour sightseeing tour Beech H18s crashed on the slopes of Mauna Loa on a flight from Keahole to Kahului. The NTSB said the pilot was flying with visual flight rules in adverse weather and low visibility.” (Star Advertiser, Honolulu. “Friday’s skydiving crash among worst aviation disasters in Hawaii history.” 6-22-2019.)

Sources

Aircraft Crashes Record Office (Geneva, Switzerland). Hawaii. Accessed 3-8-2009 at: http://www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/Etats-Unis/Hawaii.htm

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a Beechcraft H18 Near Hilo: 11 Killed.” Accessed 12-21-2021 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-beechcraft-h18-near-hilo-11-killed

New York Times. “11 Tourists Killed in Hawaii Air Crash.” 4-13-1974, p. 9. Accessed 12-21-2021 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1974/04/13/79327355.html?pageNumber=9

Star Advertiser, Honolulu. “Friday’s skydiving crash among worst aviation disasters in Hawaii history.” 6-22-2019. Accessed 12-21-2021 at: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2019/06/22/breaking-news/fridays-skydiving-crash-one-of-worst-aviation-disasters-in-hawaii-history/