Pilot Who Survived Hawaii Helicopter Crash That Killed 3 Recalls What Went Wrong Seconds Before Tragedy Struck
By Escher Walcott
Published on April 19, 2026.
The pilot who survived the Hawaii helicopter crash that killed three people in March has shared new details about the moments before the crash. The Airborne Aviation tourist helicopter carrying four passengers crashed into the ocean near Kalalau Beach in northwest Kauaʻi on March 26. Three of the victims were Ukrainian national Oksana Pihol, 40, and a Massachusetts husband and wife, Patrick Haskell, 59, and Margaret Rimmler, 65. The pilot, whose name has not been disclosed, explained that after turning left away from the shoreline, he experienced a high frequency vibration throughout the helicopter and attempted to increase the airspeed for better directional control. The crash occurred approximately 300 feet offshore and the aircraft's fuselage and main rotor blades sustained significant damage.
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