Kailua man one of the passengers aboard missing plane off Kona Posted: Jul 15, 2016 2:29 AM EST Updated: Jul 15, 2016 4:55 AM EST
The Coast Guard and Navy are responding to a report of a downed aircraft off Kona on Thursday.
At 3:15 p.m. watchstanders at the Joint Rescue Coordonation Center in Honolulu received notification from Honolulu control facility personnel that the pilot of a dual engine aircraft with two people aboard radioed them reporting and in air emergency.
One of them is David McMahon, 26, of Kailua. McMahon is a commercial pilot for Mokulele Airlines. However, it is unknown at this time if he was the pilot of the missing plane.
David and his friend are not in a Mokulele aircraft. They were flying a rented plane.
David's family is hoping aviators, boaters, and people who know him will assist in the search. The identity of the second passenger is unknown at this time, but his name and photo will be released as soon as they become available.
After David and his friend radioed an in-air emergency, the tower confirmed that's when they lost contact and the plane no longer appeared on radar.
The plane was reportedly traveling to Kona from Maui, with the last known position approximately 25 miles northwest of Kona.
On scene conditions at the aircraft's last known position are reportedly 12 mph winds from the northeast with waves 2 feet or less and an east swell of 4 feet. Visibility is limited with haze, isolated showers and darkness.
Date:
| 14-JUL-2016 | |
| Time: | |
| Type: | Piper Apache |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | |
| C/n / msn: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: / Occupants: 2 |
| Airplane damage: | Aircraft missing |
| Location: | between Maui to Kona -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Maui |
| Kona |
The plane is missing. Search operations are being conducted.
Sources: http://www.kitv.com/story/32451621/coast-guard-searching-for-missing-plane-off-kona