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.
********************************************************************************
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
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