- Date
- April 24, 1987, 13:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lihue, HI
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N739RVCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 25576
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot filled the aircraft's fuel tanks, loaded three air tour passengers and proceeded up a canyon that climbed up to an elevation of about 3000 feet MSL on a sightseeing flight. A ground tour bus driver observed smoke emanating from the canyon and reported his findings to the park rangers. Rescue personnel found the aircraft impacted in the steep walls of the canyon.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N739RV
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270753
- Airframe hours
- 1,861
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Blue Sky Aviation Of Lihue
- Registered owner
- Helser Loug
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LJH · Lihue, HI
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg