Skydiving Plane Crashes In Hawaii, 5 Declared Dead

A skydiving airplane crashed during takeoff from the Port Allen Airport in Hanapepe, Hawaii, Monday. All five people in the aircraft were reported dead.

The group took off in a single-engine Cessna 182H for a skydiving tour in Kauai at 9:30a.m PDT (12:30 p.m. EDT). Two instructors, two tandem jumpers and a pilot were on board.

According to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, a local newspaper in Hawaii, Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said the crash took place immediately after takeoff and the plane caught fire after crashing.

Four people were pronounced dead at the scene and one adult male died en route to the nearby Wilcox Hospital.

The crash reportedly ignited a small brush fire in the immediate area, which was extinguished. County officials said fire rescue crews and police were sent to the scene and the public was asked to steer clear.

Investigations into the incident are being carried out by both the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.

The plane was reportedly registered to Skydive Kauai, which operates out of the airport. It is listed in state documents as a trade name for D & J Air Adventures, which FAA records reportedly identify as the registered owner of the aircraft.

According to the Associated Press, the company’s president David Timko said he didn't have any comment as the crash is under investigation. However, he offered his condolences to the families of those killed.

In a separate incident a few hours later Monday, a single engine airplane crashed in the water off the island of Oahu. Honolulu Fire Department Capt. David Jenkins reportedly said county lifeguards brought two people to shore. One person was taken to a nearby hospital. The other person in the airplane wasn't injured, Honolulu Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Shayne Enright said, according to the AP.