2 killed in Cessna plane crash on Molokai, officials say
HONOLULU -- Maui fire officials say two people have died in a plane crash on Molokai, a Hawaiian island located between Oahu and Maui. CBS affiliate KGMB-TV reports that the privately owned Cessna 206 aircraft crashed Sunday afternoon.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer says the plane crashed due to "unknown circumstances" while on its way to the Molokai Airport.
Kentizer says at least two people were aboard the plane when it crashed about 4 miles west of the airport.
Officials were notified by the Molokai air traffic control tower that communication with the plane was lost.
Officials from the Maui Fire Department (MFD) said the wreckage was found around 12:15 p.m. local time, KGMB-TV writes.
"When firefighters found the crash site, the aircraft was smoldering. It looks like the aircraft may have burned after impact," Edward Taomoto of MFD said.
"It is unclear if weather was a factor, but Taomoto added, "It was probably raining hard earlier because crews couldn't use the fire trucks to navigate the muddy roads, so they had to use the all terrain vehicles in order to locate the wreckage site."
MFD, Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
