Beech D18S accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii, November 15, 1987
On November 15, 1987 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Beech D18S, registered N802H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mokuleia, Hawaii (Dillingham Airfield). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- November 15, 1987 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mokuleia, Hawaii · Dillingham Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D18S · all D18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N802H · registry record · serial A229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE HAD MADE A NORMAL PREFLIGHT, BUT AFTER THE ACFT HAD ROLLED ABOUT 200 TO 250 FT ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT CAME TO REST WITH DAMAGE TO THE NOSE SECTION, PROPS & ENGS. DRG AN INSPN OF THE ACFT, THE LANDING GEAR LEVER WAS FOUND IN THE UP POSITION. THE LANDING GEAR OPERATED NORMALLY DURING A SUBSEQUENT CHECK OF THE SYSTEM.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,576 hours in all; 710 in this make and model; 218 in the last 90 days; 7,576 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,091 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 12, 1987; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lanai Bird INC
The flight
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 9,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from HNL, 21 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.
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.