The reports said that one person after this crash swam 1/4 to 1/2 mile (depending on the story) to shore to try to get help. Seems like that would be difficult with a really choppy sea with whitecaps.
Is there a reference source which describes the oceanic conditions for certain places at certain times?
“Is there a reference source which describes the oceanic conditions for certain places at certain times?”
See:
Molokai Airport
11 15:54 NE 14 G 26 10.00 Fair CLR 79 65 62% NA 81 29.96 1014.7
11 14:54 NE 17 G 30 10.00 Fair CLR 80 67 64% NA 82 29.95 1014.4
http://w1.weather.gov/data/obhistory/PHMK.html
This indicates the winds at the airport on land were Northeasterly at speeds of 14-17 mph with wind gusts of 26 mph to 30 mph. however, it must be noted that the wind speeds at sea are typically going to be more forceful and perhaps considerably more forceful on a day such as this when there are wind gusts on land at the airport. Keeping the differences in wind speed on land versus at sea, let’s assume for the sake of illustration we just use the wind speeds reported at the Molokain airport at the time of the aircraft mishap.
Visit the Wikipedia article for the Beufort scale:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_scale
Look at the entry for a Beufort force 4 moderate breeze of 13-17 mph, and note the accompanying photograph on the right side of the table.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beaufort_scale_4.jpg
You can see the aves and some small whitecaps.
Now, factor in the wind gusts and look at the table entry for a beufort force 6 strong breeze and its accompanying photograph:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beaufort_scale_6.jpg
Imagine non-athletic, poor swimmers, and/or injured people attempting to survive in the sea conditions you see in these photographs. Then look at how much worse it gets if we speculate on the wind conditions at sea being significantly more forceful than those at the Molokai airport.
See the Beufort force 7 High wind, moderate gale, near gale 31–38 mph. The photograph for this wind condition can give you idea about the dangerous conditions the survivors and their rescuers faced at sea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Beaufort_scale_7.jpg
Landing an aircraft with a fixed landing gear into the waves of a sea like this is somewhat akin to taking an automodile and crashing it headon or in a slightly glancing blow against a solid concrete wall at sppeeds of between 40 mph to 100 mph. Now imagine what that does to your body, neck, and head as you are catapulted against your seat belt and your surroundings. Imagine what your rib cage is going to feel like. Then imagine immediately evacuating the aircraft as it is sinking and jumping into those cold sea waves.
The guy who swam ashore in the strong currents at Molokai is to be applauded. It could have been a lethal swim.
Everyone is very fortunate the military aircraft and pilot doing the touch and go landings spotted the crashed aircraft and summoned rescuers so quickly.
