Emroth Emair MA-1B accident near Naalehu, Hawaii, January 20, 1987
On January 20, 1987 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Emroth Emair MA-1B, registered N88896, was destroyed in an accident near Naalehu, Hawaii. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- January 20, 1987 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Naalehu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Emroth Emair MA-1B
- Registration
- N88896 · no longer on the register · serial SN038
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO MAKE A DOWNWIND RUN WHEN THE PILOT DUMPED THE LOAD COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN, BECOME AIRBORNE AND EVENTUALLY COLLIDED WITH TREES. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THAT IT DID NOT VARY DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS REPORTED. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT HIS FLT TIME.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,741 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 24, 1986; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820-202A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.