Apparently Ran Out Of Fuel On Hawaii-California Journey

A New Zealand pilot, attempting to fly from Hilo (HI) to Woodland (CA) died after making what rescue personnel described as a good water landing.

Kelvin Stark, 58, had made this kind of ferry flight several times in the past, according to the US Coast Guard. Although the ferry aircraft, a PAC 750XL made in New Zealand (file photos of incident aircraft and pilot, below), carried enough fuel for a 17-hour flight, Stark ran out of avgas only 11 hours 45 minutes into the journey. Stark was delivering the Pacific Aerospace aircraft to Utility Aircraft Corporation in Woodland (CA), where it was to be converted for use by skydivers.

Stark kept in touch with commercial traffic during the long over-water flight, calling for help when he realized his aircraft didn't have enough fuel to make the entire journey.

"He seemed very calm throughout the whole ordeal," said Coast Guard Lt. Geoff Borree. "At one point, prior to us getting there, he gave a telephone number to the commercial pilots he was in contact with and asked for them to call his wife and tell her he loved her."

Borree said an Air Force C-130 joined up with Stark's PAC 750XL while the New Zealander still had about 45 minutes of fuel left.

When his fuel did run out, Stark made a very good water landing, according to Borree. It "wasn't violent at all. He obviously had some good piloting skills."

Borree said the airborne Coast Guard team talked Stark through the water landing. After Stark was down, Borree's plane circled prepared to drop a raft virtually on top of the pilot once he emerged from the swamped aircraft. He never did. That's when Borree and his team called in the rescue jumpers.

Three hours after the PAC 750XL was in the ocean, three USAF Para-Rescuemen entered the cold, rough water. The PAC 750XL was partially submerged. Stark's body was still strapped in the cockpit. But because of the rough sea conditions, Borree said divers were unable to recover the body. (Chris Galloway photos used with the kind permission of Utility Aircraft Corporation)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov. www.uscg.mil, www.utilityaircraft.com