# Accident 20150116001129A: Cessna 172N, Molokai, HI, January 16, 2015 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 16, 2015, 14:15 local time - Place: Molokai, HI - Airport: Molokai - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Location: 21.1381° N, 156.8169° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.1381&lon=-156.8169&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5660E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5660E-2018-03-26) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 4 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor - Pilot flight hours: 3,200 total, 2,400 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR15LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA086) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150116001129A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT AS AN INTRODUCTORY FLIGHT FOR A PERSON. THE AIRCRAFT IS PRIVATELY OWNED AND FLOWN BY AGREEENT WITH OFFSHORE FLIGHT SCHOOL, A PART 61 FLIGHT SCHOOL AND PART 91 LOA AIR TOUR OPERATOR. DUE TO WEATHER ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR PILOT THERE WAS A ELECTION AGREEMENT THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD TAKE OFF FROM HONOLULU, HAWAII AND PROCEED TO MOLOKAI, HAWAII. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE BETTER FOR THE FLIGHT AND ALLOWED FOR SIGHT SEEING BY PASSENGERS WHICH WERE RELATED TO PERSON RECEIVING THE INTRODUCTION FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AND UPON FLIGHT ON THE NORTH SIDE OF MOLOKAI, HAWAII THE FLIGHT TURNED INTO A FLIGHT TOUR. PILOT STATEMENT REFLECTS HE TOOK OVER CONTROL AND PROCEEDED TO MANEUVER TO SIGHT SEE WATERFALS THAT WERE ABEAM MOLOKAI. CLIMBING THROUGH AND CIRCLING THE MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. HE CLIMBED ON A HEADING 209 DEGREES TOWARDS KALAUPAPA AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3000 FT MSL. AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE AS HE NOTED WAS NOT PRODUCING FULL POWER WITH FULL THROTTLE. HE ASSUMED CARBURETOR ICING A FACTOR AND APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. AN APPARENT LOSS OF 200 RPM LESS THAN NORMAL. HE REMAINED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND DID NOT ATTEMPT TO RECOVER BY TURNING 180 DEGREES FROM WHERE HE HAD ENTERED THE TERRAIN. WHEN HE DID ATTEMPT TO FLY OUT OF THIS TERRAIN HE NOTICED HIS CONTINUEOUS CLIMB VY TO 4,500 MSL WAS NOT ATTAINABLE. HIS DECENT RATE WAS 400-500 FEET PER MINUTE AT FULL POWER. UPON ATTEMTING TO TURN AROUND HE WAS AT LESS THAN 500 FT FROM TERRAIN. ATTEMPTED TO ZIGZAGGED TO CLIMB BUT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB. HE CLOSED THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND ADDED POWER AND ATTEMPTED A CHANDELLE TURN BUT THE VALLEY WAS TOO NARROW. HE WAS NEARING THE TREES AND NO WAY TO CLIMB OUT. HE CRASHED INTO SOME TREES AND EVACUATED ALL PERSONS. THREE PERSONS WITH MINOR INJURIES AND ONE SEVERE INJURY WITH A BROKEN HIP. AIRPLANE REMAINS AT THE CRASH SITE. THE OWNER DOES NOT HAVE INSURANCE TO RECOVER THE AIRPLANE. OPERATIONS AND AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS ARE NOT ABLE TO CLIMB TO CRASH SITE DUE TO THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 3000 FT ELEVATION AND THERE IS NOT MANNER TO WALK OR DRIVE TO SITE. LYCOMING ENGINE INVESTIGATOR HAS REQUEST ENGINE LOG BOOK INFORMATION. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB WPR15LA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15LA086), Jan 17, 2015: Cessna 172N (N5660E), Ualapue, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered. ## Other reports on N5660E (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19790810021829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790810021829A), Aug 10, 1979: Cessna 172N (N5660E), Gaithersburg, MD, Substantial damage. Made hard landing, bounced, veered off runway into soft dirt. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.