Cessna 172N accident near Ualapue, Hawaii, January 17, 2015
On January 17, 2015, a 1978 Cessna 172N, registered N5660E, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Ualapue, Hawaii. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2015
- Place
- Ualapue, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1978 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5660E · no longer on the register · serial 17271914
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he was performing an introductory flight lesson for a student with her parents on board as passengers. Rather than fly in the normal practice area, the flight instructor and student decided to fly across a channel toward an adjacent island to avoid unfavorable weather conditions. The student flew the majority of the flight following the shoreline until the flight instructor took the flight controls and turned the airplane inland to return to the airport. As the flight instructor flew the airplane over mountainous terrain, the engine lost partial power, and the airplane then began to descend. The flight instructor subsequently performed a forced landing into densely forested terrain. The airplane was not recovered from the accident site, and it could not be examined on site due to the inhospitable and remote terrain; therefore, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 13, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 1 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,517.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2014; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,002 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 11:04 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from PHMK, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.