For insurance purposes, the owner needed about 15 more hours in the tailwheel aircraft before he could fly solo without an instructor. On 9/24 and 9/25, the owner and instructor planned to fly the needed time. Maui Tower controllers reported the plane departed to the southeast toward Haiku or Makawao, Hawaii, near where the owner lived. At 1623 HST, Maui Tower advised N8656V that radar contact was lost due to the plane's location near Haleakala and N8656V responded with "Roger." At about 1630 HST, three known witnesses saw or heard the plane before it crashed. One witness observed it flying over rising terrain at low altitude, and then turn left. He reported that as the plane turned toward a downhill heading, it suddenly nose dived. The plane crashed in a steep descent and burned. The elevation was 3200 ft MSL and the temperature was 84 degrees. Strong trade winds were reported in the vicinity of the accident. An examination of the wreckage revealed no precrash malfunction or failure.