Honolulu International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Honolulu, Hawaii 96819
Saturday, October 17, 2009 11:11 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot reported that the cabin window opened during the takeoff roll. He reached over to close the window and a few seconds later the airplane rotated and banked to the left. He attempted to regain control of the airplane, but it collided with the runway surface, causing substantial damage to the firewall and both wings. The flight was to be the pilot's first solo cross-country flight; he reported 55 hours of total flight time, 1 hour of which was as pilot-in-command. Right gusting crosswinds existed at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's distraction and subsequent loss of airplane control after the cabin window opened during the takeoff roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/17/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1111
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City Honolulu
Event State HAWAII
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96819
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 211907n
Event Location Longitude 1575520w
Event Location Airport Honolulu International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHNL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 13
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Hawaii Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PHNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation HDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26325
NTSB Notification Source FAA WPR ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 18 2009 3:02PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5329L
NTSB Number WPR10CA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S9332
Certified Max Gross Weight 2558
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 15 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 5219
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name MAKANI AVIATION LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 92-132 HIHIALOU PL
Aircraft Owner City KAPOLEI
Aircraft Owner State HI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96707-2386
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Christopher S Colquhoun
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Aiea
Operator State HI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PHNL
Departure City Honolulu
Departure State HI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone HDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHNY
Destination City Lanai
Destination State HI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 18 2009 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 04L
Runway Length 6952
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --