Emair MA-1-B accident near Paauilo, Hawaii, September 11, 1987
On September 11, 1987 at about 4:44 pm local time, a Emair MA-1-B, registered N9924M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paauilo, Hawaii. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- September 11, 1987 · about 4:44 pm local time
- Place
- Paauilo, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Emair MA-1-B
- Registration
- N9924M · no longer on the register · serial 024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- 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 FLT, JUST AFTER TAKE OFF, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE ENGINE OIL TEMP WAS HIGH AND THAT BLUE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UNABLE TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CYLINDERS DISPLAYED SIGNS OF SCORING WITH METAL BUILD UP ON THE CYLINDER WALL. METAL PARTICLES WERE NOTED THROUGHOUT THE INTERNAL ENGINE AREA. THE MASTER ROD MAIN BEARING WAS FOUND FROZEN TO THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNAL AND WAS DISCOLORED DUE TO HEAT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,250 hours in all; 430 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,553 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 30, 1987; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R-1820 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from ITO, 6 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N9924M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.