Pilots in Dillingham crash died of multiple blunt force injuries, medical examiner says

The pilot seated at the front of the Cessna 305A that crashed Saturday morning died at the scene at Dillingham Airfield, while the instructor pilot, seated behind him, died on the way to the hospital, a National Transportation Safety Board investigator said.

“At about 200 feet after takeoff, witnesses reported the plane yawed right and the engine sound diminished, then it rolled rapidly left into the grass,” NTSB aviation accident investigator Noreen Price said at a news conference today at the airfield.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office said the cause of death for both pilots is multiple blunt force injuries.

The agency confirmed their identities as Richard Rogers, 70, of Haleiwa, and William Enoka Jr., 78 of Kapaa.

The NTSB completed its on-scene investigation Sunday, and is conducting detailed airframe and engine exams in the hangar today and tomorrow.

It is expected to provide a preliminary report in 10 days.

The NTSB has ruled out weather as a possible cause for the accident, Price said.

She said the NTSB will look into possible medical factors and the health and experience of the pilots.

If the airplane lost power we would try to determine whether the engine could have lost power due to mechanical failure, or whether the pilots could have cut the engine, which is one of the procedures in an emergency, Price said.

The aircraft, registered as N65070, is a Cessna 305A, also known as a Bird Dog plane, was used to tow gliders.