Event LAX04CA136

Factual narrative

On February 15, 2004, about 2100 Hawaiian standard time, a Cessna 177A, N30599, made a hard landing at Honolulu International Airport (PHNL), Honolulu, Hawaii. The airplane was owned and operated by Moore Air, Inc., under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight departed Kahului Airport (PHOG), Kahului, Hawaii, about 1945, with a planned destination of PHNL. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was attempting to execute the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 04R. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the left side. The airplane went into a nose-low attitude, hit the runway surface hard, and porpoised. The pilot taxied back to parking. The damage to the airplane included the creasing of the airplane skin, a nick in the propeller, and a bend in the firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for PHNL at 2053, reported winds from 010 degrees at 10 knots and visibility at 10 statute miles. The airplane made a hard landing while attempting to execute an instrument landing system (ILS) approach. The pilot said that during the landing flare, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the left side. The airplane went into a nose-low attitude, hit the runway surface hard, and porpoised. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) for Honolulu International Airport at 2053, reported steady state winds from 010 degrees at 10 knots and visibility at 10 statute miles. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12