A tour company helicopter has crashed off the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing one person and leaving two missing in the latest in a series of accidents to plague the industry in recent years.
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A hiker on the Kalalau trail reported seeing the helicopter crash into the water about half a kilometre off the Na Pali Coast and contacted the fire department, officials said.
The Robinson R44 helicopter was part of Ali'i Kauai Air Tours & Charters, a company billing itself as the only Hawaiian-family-owned and -operated air tour company on Kauai.
"Preliminary information indicates that the pilot on board was a local resident, and the two passengers on board are believed to be visitors from the mainland," Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck said at a news conference Friday.
Kauai lifeguards on personal watercraft recovered one body from the water Thursday. They also saw what appeared to be an oil slick on the water, along with some small pieces of floating debris, Kauai Fire Chief Michael Gibson said.
The US Coast Guard and Kauai crews continued searching on Friday for the two people in the water.
Last year the Federal Aviation Administration established a new process for air tour operators in Hawaii to be approved to fly at lower altitudes following other fatal crashes.
Tour operators can fly at 460 metres unless they have authorisation to go lower. The FAA said it would review each operator's safety plan before issuing permission.
The move came after three deadly crashes in 2019, including one that killed a pilot and six passengers on the Na Pali Coast. The National Transport Safety Bureau blamed the crash on the pilot's decision to continue flying in bad weather.
Three people died when a tour helicopter crashed in a Honolulu suburb, and 11 were killed when their skydiving plane went down after takeoff on Oahu's North Shore.
Federal investigators blamed that crash on the pilot's aggressive takeoff.
Another helicopter crashed into a remote Big Island lava field during a sunset tour in June 2022, injuring the six people on board.
Texas-based aviation attorney and helicopter pilot Ladd Sanger, says the latest crash shows it's not prudent to be flying single-engine helicopters over Hawaii, including off Kauai's rugged coastline, he said.
"If there is an engine problem on Kauai, it is very likely going to be a terrible outcome," he said. "It is a really rough island, and there are so few places to land a helicopter."
A Robinson R44 is also more susceptible to Hawaii's often-changing climates, he said.
Not many Hawaii tour companies operate twin-engine turbine helicopters because they're more expensive, Sanger said.
"Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those affected," David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company, said in a statement. "Safety is our highest priority, and we are cooperating fully with all investigating authorities to understand the circumstances surrounding this event."
Robinson helicopters, including the R44 model, "have a proven track record of safe operation across diverse and challenging environments, from the mountainous terrain of Switzerland to the tropical climate of Hawaii," the company said.
Australian Associated Press
