LIHU’E – In the hard landing of a Hawaiian Airlines plane at Lihu’e Airport June 14 in which passengers reported being injured and the aircraft returned to the air despite being damaged, there remain several unanswered questions. Neither airline spokesman
LIHU’E – In the hard landing of a Hawaiian Airlines plane at Lihu’e Airport
June 14 in which passengers reported being injured and the aircraft returned to
the air despite being damaged, there remain several unanswered questions.
Neither airline spokesman Keoni Wagner nor Wayne Pollack, a National
Transportation Safety Board investigator, could answer them this week:
Did pilots do a walk-around inspection of the aircraft while it was on the
ground in Lihu’e after the hard landing? Stofleth said one of the cockpit crew
did get out and check the plane, even though Federal Aviation Administration
investigators said that is not mandatory for this type of “turnaround” flight
(Honolulu to Lihu’e to Honolulu).
* Who cleared the damaged plane to
continue flying with passengers? According to the FAA, the company and pilot
have the ability to make that call.
* Are the pilots still flying? The
Garden Island received information that the pilots are on leave pending the
completion of the federal investigation.
* What was the cost to repair the
plane? The Garden Island has received unconfirmed estimates that the plane
suffered between $1.5 million and $2 million in damage.
Wagner referred a
reporter to the NTSB, and Pollack said he couldn’t answer the questions because
the investigation is still underway.
