A single-engine Cessna plane with two pilots on board crashed early Monday while approaching Molokai Airport in Hoolehua, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
A National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson said one pilot sustained serious injuries and the other had minor injuries. Medical personnel took them to a hospital for treatment.
Molokai dispatch received a call just after 5:10 a.m. of a downed aircraft just outside of the airport, Maui Police Department spokesperson Alana Pico said.
NTSB said the crash occurred about 2 miles southwest of the airport.
Kamaka Air Inc., an interisland cargo service company, owns and operates the aircraft.
Amanda Pitcher, senior administration director of Kamaka Air, said the pilots were OK and being assessed.
James Petrides, president of Kamaka Air, could not be reached for comment.
There is conflicting information on the type of Cessna that crashed. The FAA described it as a Cessna 208, and the NTSB said the plane was a Cessna 108. Both agencies will
investigate.
Kamaka Air, the locally owned and operated, has been providing freight delivery services for people and businesses in Hawaii for more than 25 years, according to the company’s website. It also offers charter service.
The company has six Cessna Caravans in its fleet, each powered by a Pratt &Whitney PT6 turboprop
engine.
The NTSB is expected
to release a preliminary
report on the crash in two
to three weeks. The probable cause and any contributing factors will be part of a final report that usually takes 12 to 24 months to complete.