What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Investigation was conducted in accordance with national policy 8900.1, vol.7, CH1, SEC1 & order 8020.11D chg 1. On September 18, 2026, at approximately 15:00 HST, a Cessna 172 sustained severe impact upon touchdown followed by a bounced landing at Molokai Airport (phmk) while crewed by a pilot in command (pic/cfi) and a student pilot. The sequence resulted in a propeller strike and substantial airframe damage, categorized by the NTSB as an aircraft accident. Although the pic/cfi stated that an elevator control jam prevented a proper flare, post-accident technical inspection and physical evidence revealed zero mechanical failure, or system anomalies within the flight controls before or after touchdown. With failure to maintain a stabilized approach, manage touchdown sink rate, and select an appropriate flap configuration for the gusty wind conditions, resulted in an initial severe impact that rendered the aircraft unrecoverable.
As the FAA filed it
INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATIONAL POLICY 8900.1, VOL.7, CH1, SEC1 & ORDER 8020.11D CHG 1. ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 15:00 HST, A CESSNA 172 SUSTAINED SEVERE IMPACT UPON TOUCHDOWN FOLLOWED BY A BOUNCED LANDING AT MOLOKAI AIRPORT (PHMK) WHILE CREWED BY A PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC/CFI) AND A STUDENT PILOT. THE SEQUENCE RESULTED IN A PROPELLER STRIKE AND SUBSTANTIAL AIRFRAME DAMAGE, CATEGORIZED BY THE NTSB AS AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH THE PIC/CFI STATED THAT AN ELEVATOR CONTROL JAM PREVENTED A PROPER FLARE, POST-ACCIDENT TECHNICAL INSPECTION AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE REVEALED ZERO MECHANICAL FAILURE, OR SYSTEM ANOMALIES WITHIN THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BEFORE OR AFTER TOUCHDOWN. WITH FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A STABILIZED APPROACH, MANAGE TOUCHDOWN SINK RATE, AND SELECT AN APPROPRIATE FLAP CONFIGURATION FOR THE GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS, RESULTED IN AN INITIAL SEVERE IMPACT THAT RENDERED THE AIRCRAFT UNRECOVERABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N429ES · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.