Posted at 11:19 a.m., Monday, May 1, 2006
All survive tour plane crash on Molokai last night
Advertiser Staff
A tour aircraft carrying five people crashed in an open field yesterday evening near Kaluako'i, Moloka'i and all people on board were able to get out of the craft to safety.The twin-engine, Partenavia, belonging to Tora Flight Adventures was reported to have just taken off from a private airfield when it banked right and crashed, Moloka'i police said. The accident was reported at about 8:30 p.m.
On board were the male pilot and four Japanese tourists, two men and two women, said Acting Lt. Jamie Becraft.
The pilot was able to walk to a nearby residents to report the incident, Becraft said. When fire and police arrived at the scene they found the four passengers laying down in brush near the airplane, he said.
One person was in critical condition, one in serious condition and three in good condition, Becraft said. The victims were taken to Moloka'i General Hospital and two of them were later transferred to The Queen's Medical Center on O'ahu, Becraft said.
The plane was extensively damaged and the cause of the crash is unknown, he said.
