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Accidents · NTSB WPR14CA129 · Final report

Partenavia S.P.A. P 68 OBSERVER accident near Molokai, Hawaii, February 28, 2014

On February 28, 2014 at about 5:47 am local time, a 1984 Partenavia S.P.A. P 68 OBSERVER, registered N947MZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Molokai, Hawaii (Panda 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 inadequate decision to continue an unstable approach in dark night conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and hard landing.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
February 28, 2014 · about 5:47 am local time · cases in 2014
Place
Molokai, Hawaii · Panda Airport · cases near this airport · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Partenavia S.P.A. P 68 OBSERVER C, built 1984 · all P 68 OBSERVERs on the register
Registration
N947MZ · no longer on the register · serial 316-12/OB
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot stated that the flight was conducted at night and he used his GPS track to align with the runway. When the pilot activated the runway lights, the airplane was about 1/4 mile to the left of the runway and 1/2 mile from the approach end. The pilot made an aggressive right turn then hard left turn to make the runway for landing. While maneuvering on short final, at 50 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane's right wing impacted the tops of a number of trees that lined the southeast side of the runway. The airplane descended rapidly and landed hard, collapsing the landing gear and spinning the airplane around 180 degrees laterally, where it came to rest against some trees. The right wing's impact with trees and the hard landing resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions 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

  1. Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern final)
  2. Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern final)
  3. Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event

The NTSB's findings

  • cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
  • cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
  • Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
  • Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation

Pilot

  • Certificate: commercial pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
  • Flight time: 4,433 hours in all; 1,716 in this make and model
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: left
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 8,831 hours
  • Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2013
  • Seats: 7
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 1,505 hours total
  • Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 1,505 hours total
  • Operator: Paragon Inc

The flight

  • Departed from: PHNL Honolulu HI at 5:15 am
  • Destination: HI49 Molokai HI
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 07, 1,920 ft by 55 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: night
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew1

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 4, 2014. 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.

#DocumentWhat it is
1 Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 PDF, 7 pages View Download
2 Record of Conversation - Pilot PDF, 1 page View Download
3 Photo 1 – View of Main Wreckage PDF, 1 page View Download

The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.

Connections how this case links to the rest of the register

Aircraft
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Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR14CA129.json.

The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.

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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.