Pilot Paul Akita, 37, remains missing and is presumed dead after a crash off Kaua'i on Monday. Anne Akita photo

Pilot Paul Akita, 37, did not signal an emergency before the crash, which is believed to have occurred at the last radar contact with the twin-engine turboprop Beechcraft King Air 1900C at 5:08 a.m. when the aircraft was flying 100 feet above the ocean surface.

Officials have said a plane approaching the Kaua'i airport at that point typically would be flying at 1,500 feet.

Akita remains missing and is presumed dead.

The Coast Guard made its initial recovery of debris at about 8:50 a.m. approximately 11 miles south-southwest of the airport, the NTSB said. Parts of the plane were recovered along with 45 bags of mail, an inflated life raft, a shoe and a flight bag before the search was suspended Tuesday afternoon.

The Alpine Air flight flight departed Honolulu at 4:43 a.m. Monday and was scheduled to arrive at Lihu'e at 5:15 a.m. The NTSB report said an airport duty-operations controller was conducting an airport inspection while the Beechcraft was approaching the airport. He told investigators he heard a pilot who identified himself as Alpine Air state that he was "landing (Runway) 35 and seven miles out," the report said.

Lights for the runway were operational at the time of the accident, the NTSB said.