Sling Aircraft (PTY) LTD SLING LSA accident near Makanalua, Hawaii, May 25, 2026
On May 25, 2026 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 2024 Sling Aircraft (PTY) LTD SLING LSA, registered N83PF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Makanalua, Hawaii (Kalaupapa airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 2026 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Makanalua, Hawaii · Kalaupapa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sling Aircraft (PTY) LTD SLING LSA, built 2024 · all SLING LSAs on the register
- Registration
- N83PF · registry record · serial 412A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 25, 2026, about 1110 Hawaii-Aleutian Standard time, a Sling Aircraft LSA, N83PF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kalaupapa, Hawaii Airport (LUP). The two pilots onboard sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was being operated by Pacific Fight Academy, a 14 CFR part 61 flight school based at Honolulu Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. According to the private pilot, he and his pilot-rated passenger were on a cross-country flight to the Island of Molokai to build time. They flew along the coastline of Molokai and were approaching LUP, the engine began to run rough, white smoke entered the cockpit through the air vent and the engine appeared to be losing power. The pilot shut down the engine and maneuvered the airplane to line up with the runway. He felt they would not make the runway and initiated a right turn toward a nearby bay to avoid landing on the rocky coast. The airplane contacted the water and immediately became inverted; both pilots self-extricated. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and rudder. The accident airplane was equipped with a 100-horsepower Rotax, 912 iS Sport series engine. During the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge’s follow-up examination of the engine, the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve stem was observed to be fractured from the valve spring retainer, the valve stem had fallen into the No. 2 combustion chamber, metal fragments were present in the valve covers on all cylinders. Figure 1 Fractured valve stem The engine was retained by the NTSB for further examination.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,899.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 24, 2026; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Pacific Flight Academy LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 7:50 pm
- Destination: LUP Kalaupapa HI
- Runway 5, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 17 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from PHMK, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR PHMK 252054Z 07017G29KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND 08030/2025 SLP193 T02670167 51010 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC26LA044.