A Cessna 208 passenger plane lost control and crashed in an industrial area near Honolulu Airport in Hawaii, USA today.

A video showed the plane, which was on a training flight, quickly losing altitude and making a sharp left turn before crashing into a vacant building. Preston Kaluhiwa – a passenger – and Hiram deFries, a 22-year-old student pilot, died in the incident.

The plane, operated by Kamala Air, was engulfed in flames after the crash, followed by a large cloud of smoke. The Honolulu Fire Department, police and the city’s emergency department responded to the scene. No further casualties were reported.

A Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft operated by Kamaka Air ran into difficulties and lost control.
It crashed near the Honolulu airport in a busy industrial area.
The industrial area serves many companies such as FedEx, USPS and numerous car rental/dealerships.
A high-rise office building… pic.twitter.com/Rx0HEMDG8f

— Chris Randolph (@TrumpAF2024) December 18, 2024

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation into the crash.

A witness told local media: “He heard a loud crash and saw a burning plane and my colleagues told me that a plane had crashed right next to our building.

#BREAKING: A plane crashed near Honolulu airport. According to sources, two people were killed. We learn that it was a Kamaka Air plane.

Details develop. #HawaiiNews #HNN pic.twitter.com/R9Ls7BwSeq

— Dillon Ancheta (@DillonAncheta) December 18, 2024

Audio of the pilot’s last words before the crash was shared by a local news outlet. In his emergency call to air traffic control, the ATC tower said: “Kamaka Flight 689, you are turning right, correct?”

The pilot replied: “Kamaka 689, we are, we have, we are out of control here.”

“OK, Kamaka 689, if you can land, if you can level it, that’s fine,” the control tower said. “Any runway, any place you can do.”

The plane crashed a few seconds later.

“Jaime’s and my thoughts are with the pilot and passenger and their families, as well as everyone who experienced this traumatic event,” Newsweek reported, quoting Hawaii Governor Josh Green.

“There are services available to help you process your witnesses. Call 2-1-1, Aloha United Way, for assistance. “Our Department of Transportation team will provide all necessary assistance to federal officials whose job it will be to investigate this incident and determine a cause that may not be known for some time,” he added.