Bad weather may have played a role in Monday's crash of an Alpine Air mail cargo flight, a company official said yesterday.

The twin-engine turboprop Beechcraft King Air 1900 was carrying a pilot and 4,200 pounds of mail on a regularly scheduled flight between Honolulu and Kaua'i when it hit the ocean about seven miles southeast of Lihu'e Airport. The Coast Guard on Tuesday suspended its search for pilot Paul Akita, 38, of Wailupe, who is presumed dead.

The National Weather Service reported light rain and average winds of nearly 23 mph, with gusts of 38 mph at the Kaua'i airport on Monday. Seas in the area of the crash were 20 feet, the Coast Guard said.

"It was a cold, bumpy night all across the state. There was turbulence on all our air stops and on all our flights," said David Dart, Hawai'i station manager for Alpine Air.

Coast Guard rescue crews recovered parts of the plane, 45 bags of mail, an inflated life raft, a shoe and a flight bag.

The investigation into the cause of the crash will be hampered by the absence of aircraft engines and other vital aircraft systems, said Kristi Dunks, Seattle-based air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.

Without substantial wreckage to examine, Dunks said she does not plan to travel to Hawai'i to conduct her investigation, instead focusing on Alpine Air flight safety and maintenance records, weather reports, radar data and other information.

The Federal Aviation Administration yesterday reported it had no record of enforcement actions taken against Alpine Air, a Provo, Utah-based company that is subcontracted to carry U.S. Postal Service mail to Lihu'e, Moloka'i, Kalaupapa, Lana'i and Waimea on the Big Island.

The flight departed Honolulu at 4:43 a.m. Monday and was scheduled to arrive at Lihu'e at 5:15 a.m. The plane is believed to have made a sudden descent and disappeared off FAA radar at 5:08 a.m. Officials said the pilot did not issue an emergency signal before the crash.

Akita was one of 10 pilots employed by Alpine Air in Hawai'i. He graduated from Everglades University with a bachelor's degree in aviation and joined Alpine Air in July 2004 after flying for Big Kahuna Aviation.

"Paul, in addition to being a first-class individual and pilot, is a skilled surfer and surfing instructor," Dart said. "Our prayers are with Paul's mom, dad, girlfriend and loved ones."

Dart said a memorial service is being planned, but details have not been announced.

Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com.