The terrifying audio has revealed a pilot’s final five words as his aircraft plummeted into a building near Honolulu airport, leaving two dead.
Emergency services responded to a training flight that crashed into a building near Daniel K. Inouye International Airport on Tuesday around 3pm.
Kamaka Flight 689 was seen flying at an alarmingly low altitude by witnesses who feared the aircraft was going down.
The chilling final words of the pilot were revealed as the audio transmission from on board heard the pilot reporting: ‘We’re out of control here.’
The pilot was advised to land as safely as they could on ‘any runway, any place you can do,’ before it crashed into the side of the airport-owned building.
‘You’re turning right, right?’ the tower was heard asking the pilot.
‘We are… we have… uh… we’re out of control here,’ the pilot responded.
‘Okay, if you can land, if you can level it off, that’s fine. Any runway, any place you can do,’ they responded.
Smoke was seen billowing from the wreckage, which was said to have fallen in the parking lot of the building.
Honolulu Fire Department Chief Sheldon Hao told Hawaii News Now that fortunately the building was abandoned at the time, and added that it ‘was a best-case scenario, no one else was involved.’
It was also revealed that the building was set to be demolished and turned into a parking garage for the airport.
A nearby worker, Sergiy Shpanka, told the outlet: ‘[I was working] a couple buildings from here, and we heard, you know, loud sound.
‘It was crazy because it was so low, and then he is turning left side, and we didn’t see… we continue to come here and see [the] fire.’
‘This could have been much, much worse, but the situation was limited to the two that was flying the plane… from what we understand the pilot made a lot of adjustments to minimize what they hit,’ said the director of the Hawaii Department of Transportation Ed Sniffen.
Witness Nancy Timco said: ‘I was sitting at my desk and all of a sudden, I saw a small plane fly past my office window, which is on the seventh floor.
‘And I went, “Oh, he’s really, really low,” and he started banking and going back towards the airport, and then I heard a loud bang.’
The identities of the two people inside the crashed plane have not been released, but emergency responders said they were contacted by the airline and the family to one on board was at the site of the crash.
Kamaka Air operates as an inter-island airline and logistics company that provides air cargo services such as charter service and per-pound service.
Director of Honolulu Emergency Services, Dr Jim Ireland added: ‘This is a tragedy today and our thoughts are with the family.’
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement: I am deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash on O’ahu this afternoon that claimed the lives of two employees of Kamaka Air. On behalf of the City and County of Honolulu, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those we lost.
‘This heartbreaking incident reminds us of the dedication and risks taken by those who help keep Hawai’i’s essential goods moving. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this tragedy during this incredibly difficult time.
‘We also extend our gratitude to the first responders who swiftly arrived at the scene to provide assistance.
‘The City stands ready to support Kamaka Air and all those affected in any way we can.’