Cessna 150E accident near Hilo, Hawaii, December 24, 1987
On December 24, 1987 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3009J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hilo, Hawaii. It was a personal 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).
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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 September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1987 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Hilo, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3009J · registry record · serial 15061109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LOCAL PLEASURE FLT, WHILE CLIMBING TO 5500 FEET, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED WITH NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED. THE ACFT WAS OPERATING IN THE RANGE OF SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING AT GLIDE POWER.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX88LA077.