Wreckage Found In Rainforest

The Coast Guard on Monday located the wreckage of a missing air ambulance in a tropical rainforest on Hawaii's northeastern coast. The pilot and two paramedics were killed, officials said.

The Cessna 414 (file photo, right), missing since early Saturday, was located about 22 miles northwest of Hilo, said Petty Officer Jennifer Johnson. The wreckage was located by a faint signal from an electronic transmitter. The wreckage site is about 5,000 feet above sea level in a forest marked by steep cliffs and deep ravines.

The victims were identified as pilot Ron Laubacher, 38, and paramedics Mandy Shiraki and Joseph D. Villiaros.

The plane was last heard from early Saturday, about an hour after taking off from Honolulu International Airport. The plane had been scheduled to fly to Hilo to pick up a medical patient.

Search and rescue efforts over the weekend were hampered by the dense foliage and poor weather, which may have played a role in the accident.

The FAA and NTSB were on scene investigating the accident and filed this initial report.

Report created 2/3/2004   Record 4                                       **

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5637C        Make/Model: C414      Description: 414, Chancellor
  Date: 01/31/2004     Time: 1130

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed

LOCATION
  City: KAMUELA                     State: HI   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  HAWAII AIR AMBULANCE, TN5637C, CESSNA C-414 ACFT, LOST RADAR AT 5900FT AND
  FAILED TO ARRIVE AT DESTINATION, ACFT SUBJECT OF AN ALERT NOTICE, THREE
  PERSONS ON BOARD ARE FATAL, WRECKAGE LOCATED , 3 MILES EAST OF KAMUELA, HI

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   0
                 # Pass:   2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   0
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: 1108Z ITO SPECI 2603 1 1/4 +R BR FEW010 BKN017 OVC023 19/18 3005           
                                                                                    
                                                        

OTHER DATA
  Activity: Business      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: HONOLULU, HI                Dep Date: 01/31/2004   Dep. Time: 1040
  Destination: HILO, HI                 Flt Plan: VFR          Wx Briefing: Y
  Last Radio Cont: LOST RADAR AT 5900 FT
  Last Clearance: UNK

  FAA FSDO: HONOLULU, HI  (WP13)                  Entry date: 02/02/2004 #

FMI:  www.faa.gov