Cessna 172S accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, October 17, 2009
On October 17, 2009 at about 9:11 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N5329L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Honolulu, Hawaii (Honolulu International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's distraction and subsequent loss of airplane control after the cabin window opened during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2009 · about 9:11 pm local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · Honolulu International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N5329L · no longer on the register · serial 172S9332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that the cabin window opened during the takeoff roll. He reached over to close the window and a few seconds later the airplane rotated and banked to the left. He attempted to regain control of the airplane, but it collided with the runway surface, causing substantial damage to the firewall and both wings. The flight was to be the pilot's first solo cross-country flight; he reported 55 hours of total flight time, 1 hour of which was as pilot-in-command. Right gusting crosswinds existed at the time of the accident.
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 takeoff defining event
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › Flight compartment windows › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,219 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2009; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHNL Honolulu HI
- Destination: PHNY Lanai HI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 04L, 6,952 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from PHNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N5329L 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.