# Accident 20260525012709A: Sling Aircraft (Pty) Ltd SLING LSA, Makanalua, HI, May 25, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 25, 2026, 11:10 local time
- Place: Makanalua, HI
- Airport: Kalaupapa
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 21.2073° N, 156.9810° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.2073&lon=-156.9810&mi=10
- Aircraft: N83PF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83PF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sling SLING LSA (registry code 06001CM, https://openairdocs.org/model/sling-sling-lsa) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912 IS series (registry code 55593, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-is-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SLING AIRCRAFT (PTY) LTD SLING LSA
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912 IS
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 70 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC26LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA044) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260525012709A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON MAY 25, 2026, ABOUT 1110 HAWAII-ALEUTIAN STANDARD TIME, A SLING LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING AN ACCIDENT NEAR KALAUPAPA AIRPORT (LUP), KALAUPAPA, HAWAII. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND PILOT-RATED PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.

THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY A 14 CFR PART 61 FLIGHT SCHOOL BASED AT HONOLULU AIRPORT (HNL), HONOLULU, HAWAII. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE AND THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE CONDUCTING A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO THE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI. WHILE FLYING ALONG THE COASTLINE OF MOLOKAI AND APPROACHING LUP, THE ENGINE BEGAN OPERATING ROUGH, WHITE SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT THROUGH AN AIR VENT, AND THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE LOSING POWER.

THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TOWARD THE RUNWAY. WHEN HE DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT REACH THE RUNWAY, HE INITIATED A RIGHT TURN TOWARD A NEARBY BAY. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED THE WATER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. BOTH OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE.

THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING, FUSELAGE, AND RUDDER.

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 100-HORSEPOWER ROTAX 912 IS SPORT SERIES ENGINE. DURING A FOLLOW-UP EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, THE NO. 2 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE STEM WAS FOUND FRACTURED AT THE VALVE SPRING RETAINER. THE VALVE STEM HAD SEPARATED AND FALLEN INTO THE NO. 2 COMBUSTION CHAMBER. METAL FRAGMENTS WERE ALSO OBSERVED WITHIN THE VALVE COVERS OF ALL CYLINDERS.

## 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 ANC26LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA044), May 25, 2026: Sling Sling LSA (N83PF), Makanalua, HI, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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.

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