About one minute after takeoff from Kahului (Hawaii, U.S.) Airport, a Boeing 777 descended in instrument meteorological conditions from 2,100 to 748 ft over the Pacific Ocean, prompting warnings from the first officer and the ground-proximity warning system. The crew recovered from the descent, which caused no injuries and no damage to the airplane.
Accident/Incident Investigation, Flight Ops
Unexpected Descent
The NTSB says a miscommunication about the 777’s flap setting led to a post-departure descent to 750 feet above the Pacific.