# NTSB ANC26LA044: Sling Sling LSA, N83PF, Makanalua, HI, May 25, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: May 25, 2026, 11:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place: Makanalua, HI
- Coordinates: 21.207334, -156.98101
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.2073&lon=-156.9810&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- Parties: Rotech Flight Safety, Inc, FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203045
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC26LA044
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203045/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA044

## Preliminary report

On May 25, 2026, about 1110 Hawaii-Aleutian Standard time, a Sling Aircraft LSA, N83PF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Kalaupapa, Hawaii Airport (LUP). The two pilots onboard sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was being operated by Pacific Fight Academy, a 14 CFR part 61 flight school based at Honolulu Airport (HNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. According to the private pilot, he and his pilot-rated passenger were on a cross-country flight to the Island of Molokai to build time. They flew along the coastline of Molokai and were approaching LUP, the engine began to run rough, white smoke entered the cockpit through the air vent and the engine appeared to be losing power. The pilot shut down the engine and maneuvered the airplane to line up with the runway. He felt they would not make the runway and initiated a right turn toward a nearby bay to avoid landing on the rocky coast. The airplane contacted the water and immediately became inverted; both pilots self-extricated. 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 the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge’s follow-up examination of the engine, the No. 2 cylinder exhaust valve stem was observed to be fractured from the valve spring retainer, the valve stem had fallen into the No. 2 combustion chamber, metal fragments were present in the valve covers on all cylinders. Figure 1 Fractured valve stem The engine was retained by the NTSB for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Sling SLING LSA, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=06001CM), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N83PF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N83PF), registered now, S/N 412A, built 2024 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SLING AIRCRAFT (PTY) LTD SLING LSA
- Registry model: [Sling SLING LSA](https://openairdocs.org/model/sling-sling-lsa) (registry code 06001CM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912 IS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-is-series) (registry code 55593, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 412A
- Year built: 2024
- Airframe hours: 1899.7
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Pacific Flight Academy LLC
- Registered owner: Pacific Flight Academy LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, May 24, 2026, 1 hours before
- Departed: HNL, Honolulu, HI
- Destination: LUP, Kalaupapa, HI
- Airport: LUP, Kalaupapa, runway 5, 2,700 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 17 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: PHMK, 7 nm away
- METAR: METAR PHMK 252054Z 07017G29KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A3010 RMK AO2 PK WND 08030/2025 SLP193 T02670167 51010 $

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20260525012709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260525012709A), May 25, 2026: Sling Aircraft (Pty) Ltd SLING LSA, Makanalua, HI, Substantial damage. On may 25, 2026, about 1110 hawaii-aleutian standard time, a Sling light-sport aircraft sustained substantial damage during an accident near Kalaupapa Airport…

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.

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