Second Fatal Crash In Two Years

Three are dead after the fiery crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor air ambulance (file photo of type, right) in a car dealership parking lot on the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The accident occurred at approximately 7 pm Wednesday night, as the aircraft was on approach to Kahului Airport to pick up a patient. Witnesses told the Honolulu Star-Bulletin the aircraft was descending too quickly on its approach.

"The plane was coming down too quick and they yelled and everybody ducked," said restaurant manager Ali Pishaki, who witnessed the accident from a nearby Denny's. "The plane lifted up a little bit and could not hold and just crashed into the BMW lot where all the brand-new cars were."

Andrew Kluger, chief executive officer of Hawaii Air Ambulance, identified the dead as pilot Peter A. Miller, 32, of Kailua; registered nurse Brien P. Eisaman, 37, of Waipahu; and paramedic Marlena L. Yomes, 39, of Waianae.

"On behalf of all our staff and crew at Hawaii Air Ambulance, our most heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of our employees in this tragic loss of such exceptional individuals," said company Chief Executive Officer Andrew Kluger in a statement released late Wednesday.

This is the second time in just over two years that a Hawaii Air Ambulance C-414 has gone down. The first was in January 2004. Three men died in that crash on the slopes of Mauna Kea.

The NTSB has not yet issued its finding of probable cause in that mishap. (The factual report may be found here.)

Prior to Wednesday's accident, Hawaii Air Ambulance operated a fleet of five C-414s, with three based at Honolulu, and one apiece at Hilo and Kahului. The company has been in service for 28 years, according to its website.

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IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5601C        Make/Model: C414      Description: 414, Chancellor
  Date: 03/09/2006     Time: 0513

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: KAHULUI   State: HI   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT, ON APPROACH LOST ENGINE POWER AND CRASHED INTO A CAR DEALERSHIP, THE
  THREE PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, KAHULUI, MAUI, HI

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: OGG METAR 0515 UTC 11009KTS 10SM FEW100 25/19 A3002

OTHER DATA

  Departed: HONOLULU, HI                Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: KAHULUI, HI              Flt Plan: IFR          Wx Briefing: 
  Last Radio Cont: SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT
  Last Clearance: CLRD TO LAND

  FAA FSDO: HONOLULU, HI  (WP13)                  Entry date: 03/09/2006

FMI: www.hiairamb.com/haa_home.html, www.ntsb.gov