A preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board indicated the sky-diving tour plane that crashed in Hanapepe, Kauai, was at an altitude of about 150 feet before it plummeted to the ground, killing five men.
Pilot Damien Horan, 30, an Ireland native; along with brothers Marshall Cabe, 25, and Phillip Cabe, 27, of Lawton, Okla.; and instructors Enzo Amitrano, 43, of Koloa, Kauai, and Wayne Rose, 26, of Hanapepe, died in the May 23 crash.
The report said the Cessna 182H crashed at about 9:22 a.m., approximately one minute after takeoff from Port Allen Airport. Investigators said, based on multiple witness interviews, that when the aircraft was at about 150 feet it “made a sudden right turn, descended, and impacted terrain.”
Cisco Campos, 68, of Hanapepe has told the Star-Advertiser he was fishing near the runway at Port Allen when he heard the engine sputter shortly after the aircraft took off. At the end of the runway, he said, it appeared the plane attempted to turn around to head back toward the airport when the engine caught fire before the aircraft went straight down.
The plane is registered to D & J Air Adventures Inc. in Koloa.
The investigation is ongoing. A final report is expected to be released in a year to 16 months.
