Coast Guard Scours Kona Coast For Missing Plane

HONOLULU -- The Coast Guard is scouring the Kona Coast of the Big Island for a missing plane.

The Cessna 172 took off from the Kona Airport Tuesday morning for a tour of Kilauea and the Big Island, but it never returned.

Three people were onboard, the pilot and two passengers.

The FAA tells KITV the pilot did file a flight plan, which is aiding the Coast Guard’s search efforts.

The missing plane, a Cessna A 172 with the tail number N 13713, was operated by the Hawaii Flight Academy, formerly known as Sporty's.

"At about 10:15 Hawaii time, a Cessna 172 with three people onboard, departed from Kona for a tour of Kilauea," FAA's Ian Gregor said.

The FAA said the pilot did file a flight plan to travel clockwise around the Big Island. They were last seen in the Kilauea area at about 12:45 pm.

"The plane was expected back around 1:30. When it didn't arrive on time, the company reported it missing and currently the coast guard is searching for it, as are aircraft operated by the same company and I understand aircraft operated by another tour operator called Big Isle," Gregor said.

The Coast Guard said it is conducting a joint search with the Big Island Fire Department and the Civil Air Patrol.

Their search is focusing on the Kilauea Park and an expanded area. The Coast Guard said it is a big search.

The Cessna was made in 1974 and is owned by PAP, LLC. But, the Hawaii Flight Academy is operating the plane.

The FAA said it checked nearby airports, including Hilo, in the event the pilot landed there, but so far, all searches have turned up nothing.

"So far, there's no sign of the plane. We really don't know where it is," Gregor said.

The Coast Guard said rescue crews are flying cross patterns in the area where the Cessna was last seen. The search continues overnight.