The National Transportation Safety Board is seeking witnesses in the ultralight aircraft crash on Kauai that killed two people.

Police identified the victims of Tuesday’s crash as pilot Gerry Charlebois, 55, of Kapahi and passenger Mark McKenzie, 53 of Pickering, Ontario.

The ultralight Evolution Trikes Revo registered to Birds of Paradise crashed on the side of a mountain in Waiakamoo Valley in Polihale. Investigators of the Federal Aviation Administration and NTSB were sent to the site to investigate, and a preliminary report is expected to be released next week.

NTSB investigator-in-charge, Zoē Keliher, is requesting that anyone who may have seen the accident to email their statement to witness@ntsb.gov. Or witnesses can visit www.ntsb. gov to submit a report.

The crash was the first of a so-called "weight-shift control" aircraft on Kauai since February 2011, when Big Sky Kauai owner Jim Gaither and passenger Kim Buergel of Spokane, Wash., died in a crash in the ocean off the island’s south shore. Three months later, pilot Steve Sprague and passenger Ray Foreman of Vista, Calif., died after a Kauai Aerosports aircraft crashed into the ocean off Kauai’s north shore.

Originally from rural 100 Mile House, Canada, Charlebois moved to Kauai in 1990, where he founded Birds of Paradise, offering tandem hang gliding. He later added powered gliding to the business, according to the company’s website.

Charlebois and his girlfriend, Julie Mann, had been living together five years at the time of his death.

His ex-wife, Brenna Charlebois of Keokea, Maui, said he had a zest for life and loved to be outdoors. "He was always smiling and loving," she said.

Brenna Charlebois, who had gone tandem hang-gliding with Charlebois many times, said, "I have to say he was probably one of the best, if not the best, hang gliders in the world."

"I could say beyond a doubt that it wasn’t a pilot error," she said. "He was so cautious."

"He’s the only person I would ever fly with," she said, adding he wouldn’t fly unless conditions were perfect.

Longtime friend Kathy Cowan shared the sentiment, saying he was always alert.

"We would always make a joke that Gerry was really a bird," said Cowan, describing his love of flying. "He loved that freedom."

Still in disbelief, Cowan said, "I keep feeling like he’s going to walk through the door with his big smile.

"We are all missing him greatly."