Two Plane Crashes Monday — Five Dead on Kaua‘i, Two Survive on O‘ahu

Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe

Two planes went down in Hawai‘i Monday morning. On Kaua‘i, all five occupants died. On O‘ahu, one occupant was taken to a hospital while another walked away.

Fire officials confirmed five adults died in a fiery plane crash in Hanapēpē, Kaua‘i’s Westside, early this morning, according to a Kaua‘i County press release. A second plane crashed in waters off Makaha, O‘ahu’s Westside, but there were no fatalities.

Emergency personnel responded to a plane crash at approximately 9:30 a.m. near Port Allen Airport, also known as Burns Filed, in Hanapēpē, Kaua‘i.

The crash occurred during a skydiving tour. County officials confirmed the plane belonged to Skydive Kaua‘i, the only skydiving tour operating on the island.

Multiple agencies responded to the scene of plane crash that occurred just outside of Port Allen Airport in Hanapēpē. Contributed photo

The pilot, two skydive instructors and two tandem jumpers were believed to be in the plane at the time of the crash. The names of those involved in the crash have not yet been confirmed. Volunteers from Life’s Bridges, a grief counseling service, is assisting the families of the victims.

County officials said four individuals were pronounced dead at the scene and one adult male was transported to Wilcox Hospital in Lihu‘e, where he was then pronounced dead. An autopsy will be conducted this week.

Engine 5 out of Kalāheo fire station was first on scene and was soon joined by Truck 5, Engine 5, Truck 6, Rescue 3 aboard Air 1, the on-duty Battalion Chief, and medics. Kaua‘i police officers and detectives also responded to the incident and continue to investigate the cause of the crash with assistance from the National Transportation Safety Board.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said it was a single-engine Cessna 182H that crashed in unknown circumstances.

A Cessna plane operating a skydive tour was involved in a fiery crash that resulted in five fatalities. Contributed photo

The crash resulted in a small brush fire in the surrounding area, which firefighters had extinguished by approximately 10:30 a.m. with the help of Air 1 and two water tenders provided by the County Department of Public Works.

The public is advised to avoid the area.

The plane crash on Kaua‘i’s Westside was the second in the state in the span of a couple hours. Another plane went down on O‘ahu Monday morning, but this time there were no fatalities.

A single engine small plane crashed about 30 yards offshore in waters off Makaha Beach Park, on O‘ahu’s Westside.

County lifeguards brought two people to shore after the crash. Emergency responders took one person to a nearby hospital, and other person in the airplane wasn’t injured, according to government officials.