In Pics: TransAir 737 plane wreckage recovered from ocean near Hawaii after crash 4 months ago

On July 2, 2021, a TransAir freighter aircraft took off from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honululu, Hawaii) and went down on the water near Kalaeloa Airport. TransAir was operating a Boeing 737-200 plane and nobody couldn't survive the fatal crash. On July 7, the wreckage was spotted on the ocean floor and rescue operations began in October. 

NTSB undertook a massive operation to recover the debris and wrecage of the plane. A research vessel (The Bold Horizon) and a barge (The Salta Verde) both traveled from California to Honolulu. The ship’s remotely operated vehicle prepared the engines and front landing gear assemblies with straps, which were then used to hoist them out of the water. The parts were then taken to shore by the Bold Horizon on October 17.

The next day, the ship recovered the forward fuselage section. This part was around 37 feet (11.28 meters) long and weighed around 15,500lbs (7,030 kilograms). This reached shore on October 22, having been fished out on October 20.

Once Fuselage was recovered, the rear part was lifted out which proved to be the most challenging part for several reasons. Not only was it an awkward shape, but it was also heavy. The aft part of the aircraft itself weighed around 48,500lbs (21,999 kilograms). However, four cargo containers remained secured in the plane, adding an extra 12,000lbs (5,443 kilograms) to be recovered.

The aft section of the fuselage also had attached tail and wings further increasing the weight. The operation had to be completed carefully to make sure that it didn’t break apart while rising to the surface. The part was recovered from the ocean on October 30 and brought ashore a day later.

The aircraft involved was a 45-year-old first-generation Boeing 737-200. Scheduled passenger service using 737-200s largely ended in 2008 with the closure of Aloha Airlines (also based in Honolulu) but a few remained in passenger service through 2020.