Small Plane Crash in Hawaii Kills All 9 on Board

Remnants of an aircraft carrying nine people lies on the ground near a fence that surrounds Dillingham Airfield in Mokuleia, just off Farrington Highway on June 21, 2019. Bruce Asato/Honolulu Star-Advertiser via AP

A plane crash on the island of Oahu, Hawaii has killed all nine people aboard late Friday, June 21.

A twin-engine skydiving aircraft crashed and erupted in flames at Dillingham Airfield, authorities said according to Hawaii News Now (HNN).

The Honolulu Fire Department said reports of the crash came at 6:30 p.m. local time.

A plume of smoke rises after an airplane crash in Haleiwa, Hawaii on June 21, 2019. LuckyWeLive.com via Reuters

“Right now, the initial report is that there were nine souls on board. There are no survivors,” Fire Chief Manuel Neves told reporters, HNN reported.

The plane was reportedly engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene. Witnesses saw the plane coming inbound before it went down onto a fence line, away from the runway, Neves said according to CNN.

“It is very difficult,” he added according to HNN. “In my 40 years as a firefighter here in Hawaii, this is the most tragic aircraft incident we’ve had.”

The names of the passengers have not been released. Neves noted that some family members of the now-deceased passengers had witnessed the plane go down.

Hawaii’s Department of Transportation (HDOT) confirmed the deaths on Twitter: “With extreme sadness HDOT reports there were 9 souls on board the King Air twin-engine plane that went down near Dillingham Airfield with no apparent survivors.”

Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, Kirk Caldwell, posted a message of sympathy on Twitter.

“I am closely following the tragic developments out of Dillingham Airfield this evening. At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims,” he wrote.

An investigation is underway by the Federal Aviation Administration and Farrington Highway in the area has been cordoned off.

According to Hawaii’s government website, the airfield is a general aviation airport operated by HDOT, and it is under a 25-year lease from the U.S. Army.

This story is developing, check back later for updates.