Hawaii Airport Crash: 2 Killed After Plane Hits Building

What’s New

Two people have died after a small aircraft crashed into a building in Honolulu, Hawaii.

What To Know

Two people were on board a Kamaka Air Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft when it crashed shortly after take off from Honolulu International Airport at 3 p.m. HST on Tuesday. The aircraft hit a vacant, state-owned building on Aolele Street, just outside the airport, that is due for demolition. There have been no reports of any ground injuries.

The two deceased have not yet been formally identified, but according to a report by Hawaii News Now, the pair were conducting pilot training when the crash took place. While the cause of the crash is yet to be confirmed, the news outlet reported that one of those on board told air traffic control that the plane was “out of control.”

Witness Nancy Timko, who works near to the crash site, told Hawaii News Now: “I was sitting at my desk and all of a sudden, I saw a small plane fly past my office window, which is on the seventh floor. And I went, ‘Oh, he’s really, really low,’ and he started banking and going back towards the airport, and then I heard a loud bang.”

Kamaka Air is a cargo company that transports goods throughout the state. Operations at Honolulu Airport, which serves some 21 million passengers every year, were not impacted.

What People Are Saying

David Hinderland, Kamaka Air CEO: “It is with heavy hearts that Kamaka Air confirms the loss of two members of the Kamaka Air family in an accident at 3:13 this afternoon near the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. We are not releasing the names of the pilots until family members have had a chance to process this tragedy, and we hope the media will give them the same consideration.”

Department of Transportation Director Edwin Sniffen: “HFD (Honolulu Fire Department) and [Honolulu Emergency Services] responded to the scene very quickly to make sure that they put out the fire, clear the debris and cleared the building to ensure there was nobody inside that got hurt. The great thing is, [the] building was abandoned… so nobody was inside at the time.”

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash on Oahu this afternoon that claimed the lives of two employees of Kamaka Air. On behalf of the City and County of Honolulu, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those we lost. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this tragedy during this incredibly difficult time.”

What’s Next

The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the crash, Hawaii News Now reported. Newsweek has contacted the NTSB for comment via email outside of regular working hours.