What happened
During an approach to Kahului Airport, a twin engine aircraft collided with a mountain slope situated several miles from the runway. The accident occurred while the flight was operating in unfavorable weather conditions. Following the impact, the aircraft was destroyed. Search efforts located the wreckage in a remote and difficult-to-reach area approximately one day after the event. There were two fatalities recorded in the crash, as both people on board perished.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the aircraft remained under the control of the pilot at the moment of impact. The primary factor contributing to the accident was that the pilot became disoriented while flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) due to the poor visibility and weather conditions.