Pilot Was On Personal Sightseeing Flight; Insisted Backpack Remain Behind

A factual report released this week by the National Transportation Safety Board on a 2005 rented Cessna 172 crash indicates the aircraft was operating normally when it impacted a ridge at 2,300 feet near the Hana, HI Airport. As previously reported by ANN, the Cessna 172 had been rented by the pilot while visiting the islands from Utah, when it went down on the tropical mountainside of a dormant volcano.

Conditions at Kahulai Airport, the nearest reporting point, were VFR at the time of the incident, according to the FAA Preliminary Report.

From the parts of the engine and fuselage recovered, investigators determined there was no apparent problem with the flight controls and the engine appeared to have been operating normally with a small amount of fuel found in the fuel pump.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, firefighters were called at approximately 3:55 pm Thursday, December 15, 2005 when smoke was seen coming from the remote area.

A helicopter pilot spraying for miconia at 3:50 pm in the area above Hana noticed smoke rising from the ridge and found what turned out to be the Cessna 172 the pilot had taken out just after noon that day from Kahulai Airport, according to The Maui News.

The family of the pilot, Alan Gerow, 58, of Salt Lake City, reported they had noted nothing unusual in the weeks before the crash. He was vacationing alone.

Gerow told the CFI with Maui Aviators who checked him out in the 172 he wanted to do a personal air tour of the island, and had reserved the plane for both December 15 and 16. The flight instructor reported that Gerow was a competent pilot but said his "communications skills were rough."

The day of the accident, Gerow gave the CFI a pair of leather gloves and insisted on leaving his backpack at the flight center, although the instructor told him the center would be closed by the time he returned, according to the report. After a lengthy discussion, the CFI allowed the backpack to be kept in the terminal to be retrieved the following day.

The CFI listened as Gerow received clearance and took off. Shortly after departure, Gerow made an incorrect left turn and corrected after some confusion. During this time, Kahului controllers were not receiving the transponder. Gerow performed a closed-pattern flight and, on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the tower verified the transponder was functioning properly.

After the crash, Maui police recovered the backpack and found rental car keys, his wallet, binoculars, camera, five to six small bottles of liquor, several containers of pills and other personal belongings. The CFI did not smell alcohol on Gerow prior to departure.

The helicopter pilot who originally located the wreckage told the NTSB the direction of flight was not consistent with normal approach or departure from Hana Airport, Gerow's destination -- and would ensure eventual impact with the rising terrain.

Gerow's brother told the NTSB the pilot lived alone, was a private person and worked in sales. He aspired to be a commercial pilot, but had been unsuccessful.

A toxicology report found small amounts of ethanol and chlorphenrine in Gerow's system. Chlorphenrine is an antihistamine commonly prescribed for allergies. Gerow suffered from allergies, according to his brother. The ethanol could have been from postmortem biological effects.

No logbooks have been located. Gerow held a commercial certificate, was authorized to fly single and multi-engine aircraft, and held an instrument rating. On his third-class medical application on February 15, 2005 he listed 570 total hours with no flight time in the previous six months.

On the rental disclosure, Gerow listed 541 total hours, 97 hours in the previous 90 days and 35 hours in a 172. His last biennial flight review was listed on April 21, 2005.

FMI: Read The Complete NTSB Factual Report