Partenavia S P A P 68 OBSERVER N947MZ

Summary

On 28 February 2014 at about 05:47 local time, a Partenavia S P A P 68 OBSERVER registered N947MZ, operated by Paragon Inc, was involved in an accident near Molokai, Hawaii, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 February 2014 at 05:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Molokai, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Panda Airport (HI49)

Coordinates

21.3117, -157.9167

Aircraft

Partenavia S P A P 68 OBSERVER

Registration

N947MZ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1984

Engines

2

Operator

Paragon Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honolulu → Molokai

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR14CA129

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate decision to continue an unstable approach in dark night conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees and hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that the flight was conducted at night and he used his GPS track to align with the runway. When the pilot activated the runway lights, the airplane was about 1/4 mile to the left of the runway and 1/2 mile from the approach end. The pilot made an aggressive right turn then hard left turn to make the runway for landing. While maneuvering on short final, at 50 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane's right wing impacted the tops of a number of trees that lined the southeast side of the runway. The airplane descended rapidly and landed hard, collapsing the landing gear and spinning the airplane around 180 degrees laterally, where it came to rest against some trees. The right wing's impact with trees and the hard landing resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.