Cessna 208B accident near Lahaina, Hawaii, August 18, 2019
On August 18, 2019 at about 8:37 pm local time, a 2013 Cessna 208B, registered N879MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lahaina, Hawaii (Kapalua airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots’ failure to maintain a proper approach speed and their decision to continue the approach for landing, which resulted in the airplane landing long and a subsequent runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2019 · about 8:37 pm local time
- Place
- Lahaina, Hawaii · Kapalua · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B, built 2013 · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N879MA · registry record · serial 208B5019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain reported that, due to the wind conditions at the destination airport, he and the first officer, who was the pilot flying, decided to fly the approach for landing at 95 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS) and use less than full flaps. The captain stated, and onboard data confirmed, that the airplane crossed the threshold of the 3,000 ft-long-runway at 115 KIAS. The airplane touched down about 2,000 ft down the runway at about 96 knots KIAS. Despite the pilots’ application of reverse thrust and full braking, the airplane continued off the end of the runway, where it impacted a fence and trees and came to rest in a ditch, resulting in substantial damage. The pilots and eight passengers egressed the airplane with no injuries. A complete examination of the thrust reverse system was not performed, as the airplane had been disassembled before the examination could take place. However, given the airplane’s touchdown point, there was insufficient runway remaining on which to stop the airplane even if the pilots had utilized a short field landing technique, which required an approach speed of 78 KIAS and full landing flaps. The pilots’ failure to maintain the predetermined approach speed and their decision to continue the approach despite the airplane’s excessive speed resulted in the airplane landing long and a subsequent runway overrun.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Landing area overshoot during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Abrupt maneuver during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Copilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller feather/reversing › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,374 hours in all; 1,288 in this make and model; 212 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 7,045 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 566 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 252 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 184 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,820.5 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 8,842 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 (turboprop); 3,717 hours total
- Operator: Mokulele Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 7:45 pm
- Destination: JHM Kapalua HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 02, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from PHJH, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on November 4, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airplane Performance Study | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Captain Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Captain Roc | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | First Officer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | First Officer Roc | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Second Report - Richard Morgan | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Second Report - Joshua Parker | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Passenger/pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Cessna 208 Manual | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Airplane Records | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (Pratt and Whitney Canada Corp.) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 13 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (Hartzell) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 14 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (Textron) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 15 | Accident Pictures | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.