Hawaii Aviation

2025

• A Dassault Falcon 8X and a Bombardier Global 7500 private jets collided at the airport due to strong winds going for 60mph. The private jets were critically damaged in the collision were not able to be flown until fully repaired.

December 24, 2024

• A dead person was found in the wheel well of a Boeing 787-10 at Christmas Eve in Kahului coming from Chicago. For the moment, it is still unknown how the body got there and still under investigation from both Chicago and Kahului law enforcements.

2023

• A Boeing 717-200suffered minor damage during an incident at Kahului Airport, Maui, Hawaii, while taxiing for departure after pushback. The 119 passengers and crew onboard were unharmed, though one ramp personnel sustained minor injuries. The Plane collided with the ground vehicle leaving the left wing with minor damage.

• a United Airlines Boeing 777-200 operating flight from Kahului to San Francisco stopped climbing shortly after takeoff in daytime instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft descended in controlled flight over the sea and through clouds from 2,100 feet above sea level to 748 feet before the crew responded to an EGPWS “PULL UP” warning and resumed normal climb. The flight continued without further incident

2020

• A single engine Cessna overturned near the runway at Kahului Airport, briefly disrupting flights, according to the state Department of Transportation. The incident, reported at 9:45 a.m., led to flight delays for some passengers, though the pilot was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

2019

• The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) reports the following as of 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 12, 2019. Operations at Kahului Airport (OGG) are normal, but we continue to ask passengers to contact their airline prior to travelling to the airport as the situation may change. Earlier this morning several flights that were diverted from Maui yesterday resumed their flights to OGG. Due to the influx of passengers from yesterday’s cancelled flights, passengers are experiencing delays at OGG. If your airline has confirmed that your flight is departing from OGG today, please arrive three hours prior to your departure time to ensure you can clear security checkpoints. As the fire is still not contained people should exercise caution and expect possible delays as crews may temporarily shut down roads. Follow County of Maui on Facebook @countyofmaui for the latest information.

2017

• A Hawaiian Airlines Boeing 717-200, operating flight HA-155 from Kahului to Honolulu with 125 passengers and five crew members, was climbing out of Kahului’s runway 02 when an unauthorized Cessna Caravan departed from runway 05 simultaneously. The FAA reported that air traffic controllers quickly spotted the potential conflict, instructing the Cessna to turn left while observing the Boeing already maneuvering to the right to avoid it. Both aircraft proceeded to their destinations without further issues.

2016

• WestJet flight WJA1876, a Boeing 737-800, was departing Vancouver International Airport for Kahului International Airport in Hawaii with 157 passengers and six crew members on board when a left main tire burst during the takeoff roll on runway 08R at approximately 120 knots indicated airspeed. Shortly after, the second left main tire also failed, prompting the crew to abort the takeoff and declare an emergency with air traffic control. The aircraft remained on the runway, stopping about 7,200 feet down the 11,500-foot strip. Emergency responders attended the scene, confirming no fire. Passengers and baggage were deplaned, a process that took around two hours. To replace the damaged wheel assemblies, the aircraft was defueled, and specialized jacking equipment was required due to its reduced height. The incident led to a runway closure lasting approximately seven hours and 40 minutes, though initial inspections found no further damage to the aircraft or runway.

2015

• On May 1, 2015, Hawaiian Airlines Flight 24 departed Maui for Oakland at 11:18 a.m. but was forced to return shortly after takeoff due to reports of fumes in the cabin. The flight crew declared an emergency, safely landing at Kahului Airport at 11:50 a.m., where all 224 passengers and 10 crew members were evacuated via emergency slides. Airline officials later confirmed that two passengers sustained minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

2014

• The FBI in Honolulu confirmed that a 16-year-old boy stowed away on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from San Jose to Kahului, Maui, on the morning of April 20, 2014. The flight, lasting five hours and 20 minutes, landed at Kahului Airport at 10:31 a.m. According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the teen had run away from his family and managed to survive the journey despite freezing temperatures and oxygen deprivation in the aircraft’s wheel well.

2013

• Mokulele Airlines Cessna crashes on Maui after a catastrophic engine failure 13 minute into its flight to Big Island.  Pilots turn around 13 minute into the flight and make a miraculous landing on a highway back on Maui.  There were no injuries.

2007

• Single engine failure leads to Hawaii Air Ambulance plane crash in Maui, killing 3 passengers.  Lack of proper training contributes to crash.  Hawaii Air Ambulance updates to more modern planes and restructures the training.

May 9, 2000

• ATA Flight 671, a Lockheed L1011, sustained a tail strike during landing at Kahului Airport. The aircraft sustained damage but none of the 370 aboard were injured.

February 9, 1996

• A STOLP Starduster II pilot took off from Kahului. At about 75-feet, the engine quit running. The pilot attempted to return to the airport. The plane crashed landed in a sugar cane field before reaching the runway. Two people were seriously injured.

April 28, 1988

• An Aloha Airlines 737 bound from Hilo to Honolulu, lost part of its fuselage at 24,000 feet, injuring 60 people and throwing a flight attendant to her death. The pilot was able to land the aircraft safely at Kahului

July 15, 1984

• A Mid-Pacific Airlines ground power unit broke away from a tug and knocked a 6-by-32-inch hole in the fuselage of an Aloha 737. There were no injuries

April 3, 1983

• A Hawaiian Airlines DC-9 blew a tire on its right main gear upon landing. None of the 116 passengers were injured.

July 23, 1983

• The Kahului main runway was closed for two hours when a Kauai-bound Panorama Air tour BE-18 lurched forward into another Panorama plane waiting on the runway for takeoff. Each plane had nine passengers. Only minor injuries were reported.

October 29, 1982

• A smoking right engine forced the pilot of a fully loaded Hawaiian Airlines DC9-50 to abort takeoff. One passenger was injured during a subsequent emergency evacuation of the plane

August 20, 1971

• An Aloha Airlines 737’s left engine caught fire on an aborted takeoff. The pilot reversed the engines to slow the plane and then pulled off the runway. Smoke poured from the engine, and firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. There were no injuries.

November 6, 1968

1. The left landing gear collapsed on a Royal Hawaiian Air Service Cessna 402 while it was landing. None of the nine passengers were injured. The runway was closed for more than six hours.

March 1, 1964

• A light plane Beech Musketeer crash-landed 2,000 feet short of Runway 5 after its single engine failed. The pilot and three passengers were not injured.

October 1, 1963

• An Air Force T-33 jet trainer suffered a power failure while making a practice landing and crashed. The plane’s landing gear was sheared away when it struck a construction ditch embankment and skidded more than three-quarters of a mile. While skidding, it knocked down 11 runway lights. The crew was not injured.