Piper PA32-301FT accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, March 22, 2008
On March 22, 2008 at about 9:54 pm local time, a Piper PA32-301FT, registered N3105Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Honolulu, Hawaii (Honolulu International Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during landing. A contributing factor was the weather windshear condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2008 · about 9:54 pm local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · Honolulu International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32-301FT · all PA32-301FTs on the register
- Registration
- N3105Q · no longer on the register · serial 3232028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he was landing on runway 04R when he encountered wind shear condition on short final. The airplane landed hard and bounced to a second hard touchdown, which collapsed the right main and nose landing gear struts. The right wing's spar was bent and the wing's skin was wrinkled. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage damaging the left flap and stabilator. None of the four occupants were injured.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 310 hours in all; 214 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 327 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Makena Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PHNY Lanai HI at 9:30 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4R, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.