What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During a 135 air cargo single pilot instrument flight, pilot in command, initiated molokai VOR a approach into Kaunakakai Airport (phmk) at 503AM HST (extremely dark). Prior to mkk VOR (approx 459AM) PIC recalls briefing himself on the VOR a approach, but did not brief cargo loader person (non crewmember), commercial instrument rated pilot in right seat. PIC does not recall if he put in minimum descent altitude (mda) for VOR approach into G1000 approach tab when he activated the approach.
During the non precision instrument approach PIC said he saw the airport briefly while attempting to circle for runway 5. PIC during circle, lost sight of runway. PIC subsequently said he attempted to go missed approach, but did not physically complete go around action.
PIC does not recall G1000 minimums alert while descending below 1400 feet MSL nor G1000 auditory/visual alert for 200 feet below mda minimums.
PIC does not recall if he activated go around button on engine power control lever during circle manuever. PIC does not recall increasing engine power to initiate a climb. PIC does not recall pushing un-suspend key on G1000 to activate the missed approach guidance/sequence within the G1000. PIC does not recall how multifunction display map was set. He does not remember if his moving map display was in north up or track up. He stated he flies with whatever MFD map orientation was previsously left in aircraft.
MFD and electronic flight bag may have been set to north up, which would visually indicate airport to right of aircraft position, while heading east bound at the published mda.
PIC does remember hearing sink rate right before impact.
Adsb record shows aircraft at near end of published approach entered a shallow right turn at 1400 feet MSL, which is the published mda. Approximately 1.26 NM west of approach end of runway 5, short of the missed approach point (map), aircraft initially turns to the right and proceeds southbound across center line of airport and 1 mile away, west of airport. Shortly after turning right, PIC sharply turns left and descends below published minimum descent altitude (mda 1400 feet MSL), west of the airport, aircraft crossed centerline of runway 5 heading north, aircraft continues to increase bank to left while descending and then leveled wings prior to impacting the ground at 400 feet MSL.
During attempt to circle aircraft completed 360 degree left turn and descended 1000 feet in less than 1 minute.
Wreckage indicates aircraft impacted wings level, not turning, and indicating a heading of 184 degrees. Wreckage and debris sits in heavy shrub tree area .71 NM west of approach end of runway 5 (255 degrees). Aircraft wreckage is visible from phmk tower.
Cargo pod destroyed and removed from aircraft. Left and right landing gear destroyed and bent upwards below wings. Nose gear removed. Wings, nose, and fuselage suffered significant damage from shrub type tree and earth contact.
PIC experienced head, arm, leg and midsection injuries but is mobile. PIC recieved stitches to his face and bruised his ribs. PIC says he experienced a lot of pain.
Loader (commercial rated pilot) has broken vertabrae in neck and is expected to recover in 2 to 3 months. Loader has mobility difficulty.
As the FAA filed it
DURING A 135 AIR CARGO SINGLE PILOT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT, PILOT IN COMMAND, INITIATED MOLOKAI VOR A APPROACH INTO KAUNAKAKAI AIRPORT (PHMK) AT 503AM HST (EXTREMELY DARK). PRIOR TO MKK VOR (APPROX 459AM) PIC RECALLS BRIEFING HIMSELF ON THE VOR A APPROACH, BUT DID NOT BRIEF CARGO LOADER PERSON (NON CREWMEMBER), COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT IN RIGHT SEAT. PIC DOES NOT RECALL IF HE PUT IN MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) FOR VOR APPROACH INTO G1000 APPROACH TAB WHEN HE ACTIVATED THE APPROACH.
DURING THE NON PRECISION INSTRUMENT APPROACH PIC SAID HE SAW THE AIRPORT BRIEFLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CIRCLE FOR RUNWAY 5. PIC DURING CIRCLE, LOST SIGHT OF RUNWAY. PIC SUBSEQUENTLY SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO GO MISSED APPROACH, BUT DID NOT PHYSICALLY COMPLETE GO AROUND ACTION.
PIC DOES NOT RECALL G1000 MINIMUMS ALERT WHILE DESCENDING BELOW 1400 FEET MSL NOR G1000 AUDITORY/VISUAL ALERT FOR 200 FEET BELOW MDA MINIMUMS.
PIC DOES NOT RECALL IF HE ACTIVATED GO AROUND BUTTON ON ENGINE POWER CONTROL LEVER DURING CIRCLE MANUEVER. PIC DOES NOT RECALL INCREASING ENGINE POWER TO INITIATE A CLIMB. PIC DOES NOT RECALL PUSHING UN-SUSPEND KEY ON G1000 TO ACTIVATE THE MISSED APPROACH GUIDANCE/SEQUENCE WITHIN THE G1000. PIC DOES NOT RECALL HOW MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY MAP WAS SET. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER IF HIS MOVING MAP DISPLAY WAS IN NORTH UP OR TRACK UP. HE STATED HE FLIES WITH WHATEVER MFD MAP ORIENTATION WAS PREVISOUSLY LEFT IN AIRCRAFT.
MFD AND ELECTRONIC FLIGHT BAG MAY HAVE BEEN SET TO NORTH UP, WHICH WOULD VISUALLY INDICATE AIRPORT TO RIGHT OF AIRCRAFT POSITION, WHILE HEADING EAST BOUND AT THE PUBLISHED MDA.
PIC DOES REMEMBER HEARING SINK RATE RIGHT BEFORE IMPACT.
ADSB RECORD SHOWS AIRCRAFT AT NEAR END OF PUBLISHED APPROACH ENTERED A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN AT 1400 FEET MSL, WHICH IS THE PUBLISHED MDA. APPROXIMATELY 1.26 NM WEST OF APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 5, SHORT OF THE MISSED APPROACH POINT (MAP), AIRCRAFT INITIALLY TURNS TO THE RIGHT AND PROCEEDS SOUTHBOUND ACROSS CENTER LINE OF AIRPORT AND 1 MILE AWAY, WEST OF AIRPORT. SHORTLY AFTER TURNING RIGHT, PIC SHARPLY TURNS LEFT AND DESCENDS BELOW PUBLISHED MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA 1400 FEET MSL), WEST OF THE AIRPORT, AIRCRAFT CROSSED CENTERLINE OF RUNWAY 5 HEADING NORTH, AIRCRAFT CONTINUES TO INCREASE BANK TO LEFT WHILE DESCENDING AND THEN LEVELED WINGS PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE GROUND AT 400 FEET MSL.
DURING ATTEMPT TO CIRCLE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED 360 DEGREE LEFT TURN AND DESCENDED 1000 FEET IN LESS THAN 1 MINUTE.
WRECKAGE INDICATES AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WINGS LEVEL, NOT TURNING, AND INDICATING A HEADING OF 184 DEGREES. WRECKAGE AND DEBRIS SITS IN HEAVY SHRUB TREE AREA .71 NM WEST OF APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 5 (255 DEGREES). AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IS VISIBLE FROM PHMK TOWER.
CARGO POD DESTROYED AND REMOVED FROM AIRCRAFT. LEFT AND RIGHT LANDING GEAR DESTROYED AND BENT UPWARDS BELOW WINGS. NOSE GEAR REMOVED. WINGS, NOSE, AND FUSELAGE SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FROM SHRUB TYPE TREE AND EARTH CONTACT.
PIC EXPERIENCED HEAD, ARM, LEG AND MIDSECTION INJURIES BUT IS MOBILE. PIC RECIEVED STITCHES TO HIS FACE AND BRUISED HIS RIBS. PIC SAYS HE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF PAIN.
LOADER (COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT) HAS BROKEN VERTABRAE IN NECK AND IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER IN 2 TO 3 MONTHS. LOADER HAS MOBILITY DIFFICULTY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.