Emroth Emair MA-1B accident near Pahala, Hawaii, August 26, 1985
On August 26, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Emroth Emair MA-1B, registered N1012Y, was destroyed in an accident near Pahala, Hawaii. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pahala, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Emroth Emair MA-1B
- Registration
- N1012Y · registry record · serial 013
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING PIECES OF WOOD AND FABRIC COMING OFF THE ACFT DURING IT'S SECOND SWATH RUN. AT THE END OF THE RUN, THE ACFT CLIMBED ABRUPTLY TO CLEAR TREES AFTER WHICH IT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO GROUND IMPACT. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE ON IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED A WING NOSE RIB AND A PIECE OF FABRIC HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT AND WERE LOCATED APRX 1225 FT UPWIND FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,149 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 10, 1985; 165 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820-202A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.