NTSB: Civil Air Patrol plane was flying in bad weather before fatal crash on Kauai

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on a plane crash that killed two people on Kauai earlier this month.

Officials said the Cessna, which was being operated by the Civil Air Patrol, was conducting a routine hurricane/tsunami practice flight when it crashed about 13 miles north of Kekaha.

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Witnesses told investigators they saw the plane flying low, near the mountain in poor weather conditions. Then, they heard a loud crashing noise.

A tracking device aboard the aircraft showed that after the airplane departed Lihue Airport, it initially proceeded southwest, then it turned north as it neared the northwest side of the island. The airplane then turned to an easterly heading, towards rising terrain.

Officials said the Kauai Fire Department located the fragmented airplane wreckage in a steep mountainous area and confirmed that there were no survivors.

NTSB said 76-year old James Dengan and 78-year-old David Parker were killed in the crash — both were volunteers for the Civil Air Patrol.

A final report on the crash could take up to 2 years.

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