Here’s what we know about the 737 freighter that crashed off Oahu

[ad_1]

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) — The Boeing 737-200 freighter that crashed off Oahu early Friday with two pilots on board was built in 1975 and is operated by a Hawaii-based freighter fleet, Transair.

Aviation experts have said that it is common for the Boeing 737-200 to be used for freight.

The uncommon thing is that both engines on the big plane will fail.

“It’s unusual to have problems with two separate engines,” said aviation expert and pilot Laura Einsetler, who added that the 737s are designed to fly with a single engine.

She said that in the aftermath of the accident, the NTSB will undoubtedly investigate the aircraft’s history and any potential maintenance issues.

They will also look at potential pilot problems or environmental causes, including bird strikes.

The 10-member NTSB team is deployed to Oahu, and includes investigators from a variety of disciplines, including wreck recovery.

Transair CEO Timor Riahi said in a statement that the company is working with NTSB and the FAA.

The company describes itself as one of the largest air freight providers in Hawaii, offering inter-island freight service with a fleet of five Boeing 737 aircraft along with other aircraft.

A cargo plane crashed in the waters off Oahu early Friday, shortly after takeoff

Transair Flight 810 just took off from Honolulu at about 1:40 a.m. and headed to Kahului when it started having problems. The pilots on board were rescued and remained in the hospital.

Hawaiian aviation expert Peter Foreman described the Boeing 737-200 as “reliable” and said an accident with both engines missing was “extremely rare.”

He said that the way the pilots dived into the water, with the fuselage and tail initially on the surface, required tremendous skill. “At night, it is very difficult to judge your height and the rate at which you are drowning,” he said.

“It was a challenge and I’m glad these guys didn’t agree to it.”

This story will be updated.

Copyright 2021 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.

.

[ad_2]