Officials: NKY couple in Hawaii helicopter crash that leaves 1 dead, 2 missing

A woman from Union is dead and her husband is presumed dead after a helicopter crash in Hawaii Thursday, family members told us.

The crash happened off the island of Kauai, officials said.

Amy Quintua, 53, was on board the helicopter with her husband, 60-year-old James, "Jim," Quintua while on a trip.

A hiker on the Kalalau trail reported seeing the helicopter crash into the water about a quarter of a mile (0.4 kilometers) off the Na Pali Coast on Thursday afternoon and contacted the fire department, officials said.

According to officials, Kauai lifeguards on personal watercraft recovered Amy's body from the water Thursday.

Family

Family members told us that Jim is presumed dead.

Crews have still not located Jim or the 69-year-old pilot.

Officials have not said what led up to the crash.

The weather at the time was normal for this time of year with winds of about 15 mph to 25 mph, light clouds and scattered showers, Kauai Fire Chief Michael told our partners at the Associated Press: “We do not believe the weather was a concern.”

"They were the kind of guys, [where] every time we see them out in the yard, always a wave and a smile," Justin Collett, a longtime neighbor said. "We knew they said they were going to be gone about two weeks. We were expecting them to be back, I think, yesterday or the day before."

For Collett, who described the couple as "the neighbors we were closest with," the loss hits close to home.

"It's a sad air around right now," he said. "Losing someone close to you both literally and metaphorically speaking is tough."

While some neighbors say they were aware of the couple's planned trip, they could never have imagined it ending like this.

"They were just lovely people, they were really nice. They always had a smile on their face, and it looked like they were enjoying life," Judy Becker, another neighbor, said. "You just don't expect that sort of thing. And [it] just goes to show that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow."

Becker's husband, Steve, said he remembers moments shared with Jim Quintua the most.

"I think everyone's going to be shocked like we were. It's very disappointing," he said. "For me, it's his smile. He always smiled at me when he came to say 'Hello.' He was very gracious."

The Robinson R44 helicopter was part of Ali’i Kauai Air Tours & Charters, authorities said.

The company bills itself as the only Hawaiian-family-owned and -operated air tour company on Kauai, and its website said it has more than three decades of flying experience. It offers private tours by plane or helicopter.

Ladd Sanger, a Texas-based aviation attorney and helicopter pilot, has handled air tour crash litigation in Hawaii and has flown a helicopter over Kauai.

The latest crash shows it’s not prudent to be flying single-engine helicopters over Hawaii, including off Kauai’s rugged coastline, he said.

A Robinson R44 is also more susceptible to Hawaii’s often-changing climates, he said.

“Kauai is gorgeous, and there is no way to see the beauty of Kauai but from a helicopter,” he said. “But it needs to be the right helicopter.”

Not many Hawaii tour companies operate twin-engine turbine helicopters because they’re more expensive, Sanger told our partners at The Associated Press.

“Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those affected,” David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company, said in a statement. “Safety is our highest priority, and we are cooperating fully with all investigating authorities to understand the circumstances surrounding this event.”

Robinson helicopters, including the R44 model, “have a proven track record of safe operation across diverse and challenging environments, from the mountainous terrain of Switzerland to the tropical climate of Hawaii,” the company said. “Robinson helicopters have been operating safely in Hawaii since the 1980s, with some operators flying up to 16,000 flight hours a year without incident.”

While the federal government generally controls air safety measures, Hawaii lawmakers have tried to indirectly make helicopter tours safer, state Rep. Nadine Nakamura, whose Kauai district includes the Na Pali Coast, told our partners at the Associated Press.

But a bill last session attempting to increase aircraft liability insurance didn’t make it to the governor’s desk, she said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

Our partners at The Associated Press contributed to the reporting for this story.

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