- Date
- January 16, 2023, 05:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Kualapuu, HI · 1.5 mile from approach end of runway 5
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N236KACessna 208B
- Defining event
- Approach-IFR final approach: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230116002999A
- Case key
- 106589
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate altitude during a circling approach procedure in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported he was conducting an instrument approach in dark night conditions, and during the approach he thought the airplane was too high. The pilot performed a left turn circling procedure to lose altitude. During the turn, the pilot loss sight of the runway and the airplane impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N236KA
- Reported as
- Cessna 208B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 208B2034
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 11,160.5
- Engine
- PWC PT6-114A, 675 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 135
- Operator
- Kamaka Air LLC
- Registered owner
- Kamaka Air LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 12, 2023
- Departed
- PHNL · Honolulu, HI
- Destination
- PHMK · Hoolehua, HI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MKK · Molokai Airport, runway 050, 3,118 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 29, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,040.3 total · 1,626.6 in this make and model · 1,958.8 as pilot in command · 152.4 in the last 90 days · 8.5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- PHMK, 2 nm away
- METAR
- PHMK 162354Z 31005KT 10SM FEW050 26/20 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP183 T02610200 10272 20200 58029
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 7, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.