Hawaii Helicopter and Airplane Crashes

Experienced Representation for Cases Involving Helicopters and Airplanes in Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands offer spectacular landscapes and scenery that attract millions of tourists every year. Many of these visitors plan sightseeing tours on a helicopter or airplane as a highlight of their vacation: In fact, it’s estimated that 1 in 10 visitors to Hawaii may take a sightseeing or air tour flight during their visit. Unfortunately, these adventures can sometimes end in tragedy. This is why it’s always a good idea to check out the safety record of any tour company you plan on using.

At Wisner Baum, our leading plane crash litigators have experience taking on Hawaii helicopter and airplane crash cases on behalf of injury victims. Whether you were injured on a sightseeing tour or en route to Hawaii, we’ll apply more than a half-century of experience and all of our resources to helping you get financial recovery.

Call (855) 948-5098 or submit our online form to get started with a free consultation. We handle cases across the U.S.

We Handle All Types of Airline Accidents In Hawaii

Only two major airline incidents have occurred in and around the Hawaiian Islands. Neither one of these incidents involved a crash per se, but deaths were caused when people were sucked out of openings in the aircraft fuselage mid-flight.

On April 28, 1988, a flight attendant died when she was ejected from a Boeing 737 operated by Aloha Airlines Flight 243, traveling from Hilo to Honolulu, after the aircraft suffered an explosive decompression and part of the cabin skin peeled off near the entrance door. Seven other people were seriously injured and 57 passengers sustained minor injuries.

On February 24, 1989, nine passengers died when they were ejected from a Boeing 747 operated by United Airlines Flt. 811 after departing Honolulu, when the aircraft experienced an explosive decompression following the opening of an improperly latched cargo door. Additionally, five passengers received serious injuries and 33 sustained minor injuries.

Hawaii Helicopter Accidents Handled by Our Law Firm

Since 1962, there have been approximately 80 accidents in Hawaii involving commercial aviation sightseeing planes and helicopters. About 82% of these crashes involved helicopters. The following is a summary of some of the most notable Hawaiian airplane and helicopter tour accidents and incidents that Wisner Baum has handled.

• September 23, 2005 – Our team successfully handled a major helicopter tour crash that occurred on September 23, 2005, involving an Aerospatiale AS-350BA registered to Jan Leasing, LLC, of Las Vegas and operated by Heli USA Airways. The helicopter crashed into the ocean, several hundred yards off the coastline at Kauai’s Ke’e Beach. The pilot says he saw another helicopter below him and apparently took sudden, uncalled-for maneuvering actions that resulted in his helicopter dropping, hitting the water, going up into the air again and then back into the water. Three passengers were killed, and the commercial pilot and two other passengers received minor injuries. The 45-minute helicopter tour had departed from Lihue Airport, Lihue, Hawaii, on the island of Kauai.
• July 23, 2003 – Five people died when a Bell 206B helicopter tour, operated by Jack Harter Helicopters, crashed while nearing the Waialeale Crater on Kauai. The pilot failed to maintain adequate terrain clearance / altitude while descending into adverse weather over mountainous terrain.
• September 16, 1992 – A sightseeing helicopter operated by Hawaii Helicopters, Inc., in Maui, took off and flew into adverse weather conditions. The Aerospatiale AS-350B helicopter and all seven passengers and the pilot, died when it collided with mountainous terrain near the town of Hana.
• June 11, 1989 – A Beech H18 air taxi sightseeing flight from Hilo to Kahului, Hawaii, operated by Scenic Air Tours crashed into a canyon area near a waterfall in Waipio Valley on the Big Island of Hawaii. Eleven people died in the crash.

Get Help From a Leader in Aviation Law

Wisner Baum is recognized as an industry leader in aviation crash litigation. We represent clients throughout the U.S. and around the world. We have handled multiple helicopter or small plane crashes in Hawaii since 1989, and we have continued to take on some of the most challenging, high-stakes aviation accident and in-flight injury cases nationwide.

These crashes involved, among others:

• Hawaii Helicopters, Inc
• Heli USA
• Jack Harter Helicopters
• Scenic Air Tours

For immediate assistance, or to schedule an initial consultation or free case evaluation with a Hawaii helicopter or plane crash lawyer, contact us online or call (855) 948-5098.