N13GZ Crashes Off Maui

Hawaii Life Flight's King Air C90, N13GZ (msn LJ-1590), crashed in the Alenuihaha Channel that runs between Maui and Hawai‘i Island. The King Air departed OGG just after 20:50HAST with three aboard, en route to MUE to pickup a patient. FlightRadar24 playback shows that N13GZ climbed to over 13,000' as made its way around the coastline off Hāna, then descend to a last known altitude of 8,000' off the coastline near Kaupo. FlightRadar24's playback also did not identify the tail number, nor the route.

A George's Aviation Piper PA-44 Seminole, N128AR (msn 44-96218) was in the vicinity of the King Air, and witnessed it going in the water. A US Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey from the VMM-363 Lucky Red Lions, flying as LUCKY41, flew down and orbited the area until US Coast Guard assets arrived on scene. HC-130J 2007 and MH-65D 5648 scrambled out of JRF to the accident area.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the three aboard, their families, co-workers, and the USCG.

The above photo was taken in January 2021, as N13GZ taxied back to their ramp after an engine run-up.

Further details in this Hawaii News Now report, and this KITV report.

Life Save Kūpono Shuts Down

Air Method, the parent company of Life Save Kūpono, one of two inter-island air ambulance services in Hawai‘i, has closed Life Save Kūpono's doors today. It was one of several of Air Method's subsidiaries to be shuttered due to inflation, and reduced Medicare compensation.

Life Save Kūpono has four Beechcraft King Air C90As: N911ZC (msn LJ-1557), N911ZD (msn LJ-1559), N911ZE (msn LJ-1358), and N911ZF (msn LJ-1515) based at the Castle & Cooke Aviation hangar; along with a couple of ambulances.

The closure leaves Hawai‘i Life Flight, operated by American Medical Response (AMR), as the sole inter-island air ambulance service 

Further information in this KHON2 article.

Air Med Hawaii

AirMed Hawaii began service in April 2006 to provide emergency medical air service between the neighbor islands and O‘ahu. They have a local fleet of three Beech 90 King Air. AirMed Hawaii is a local arm of Air Med, which also serves Hawai‘i with a Raytheon Hawker 800 jet (N9UP) from the mainland.

N946AM is one of the three B90s, seen here on Taxiway C in November.

Kenn Borek Air's C-FBCN

This Beech Super King Air 200, C-FBCN (msn BB-7) owned by Kenn Borek Air (Calgary, AB, Canada) has been in town for the past several days. Word is, that C-FBCN has been operating out of the Circle Rainbow Air hangar. It’s seen here taxiing out for its next flight.

Hawaii Air Ambulance's N13GZ

Hawaii Air Ambulance has brought in N13GZ, a King AIr C90B (msn LJ-1590), to assist with inter-island air ambulance ops. N13GZ and N438CA (see the June 06 archives) are both owned by Eagle Air Med of Blanding, UT.

Hawaii Air Ambulance's N438CA

Hawaii Air Ambulance has obtained a Raytheon C90A "King Air", N438CA (msn LJ-1541) , to supplement their Cessna C414s.