Two men aboard a small privately-owned plane ran into trouble shortly after takeoff from Hana Airport on Jan. 15 when the aircraft stopped climbing at about 75 feet, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Hana crash involving a fixed-wing, single-engine Flight Design CTLS light sport plane with the tail number N992SA occurred at about 9:55 a.m. The occupants, ages 61 and 70, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the preliminary report, the pilot reported completing four-touch-and-go landings at Hana Airport and departed for Kahului Airport following a short break.

Soon after takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 75 feet above the ground at which time the aircraft “stopped climbing and it subsequently descended into an area of tree-covered terrain,” the report said. It then nosed down and struck the ground just past the departure end of the runway.

The plane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings upon impact.

One of the occupants managed to walk away from the wreckage, according to the Maui Fire Department. Firefighters extricated the other man from the aircraft.

The federal agency said the pilot sustained serious injuries in the crash and the other man sustained minor injuries.

According to the preliminary report, the pilot stated there were no indications of a mechanical anomaly, however, he believed the engine “was not making rated-power.”

Other pilots in the area who witnessed the crash reported that they didn’t hear any unusual sounds and that the engine appeared to be operating normally.

A detailed examination of the airplane’s engine is pending.

A final report on the Hana crash is expected to be released in 12 to 24 months.

Hana Plane Crash by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd