Cessna 172 accident near Kahului, Hawaii, July 10, 2016
On July 10, 2016 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2003 Cessna 172, registered N335SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Kahului, Hawaii (Kahului airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's incorrect pitch control during the landing flare, which resulted in a porpoise and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2016 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kahului, Hawaii · Kahului · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2003 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N335SP · registry record · serial 172S9495
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, there were "two small bounces" and then the airplane bounced a third time "hard." The pilot further reported that he was able to taxi the airplane onto a taxiway and subsequently shutdown the engine. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 450 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,470 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 29, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 125 hours total
- Operator: Maui Aviators LLC
The flight
- Departed from: OGG Kahului HI at 7:00 pm
- Destination: OGG Kahului HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 4,990 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from PHOG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on October 31, 2016. 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 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N335SP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.