HONOLULU -- Conflicting stories are emerging regarding the crash of a tour helicopter on Kauai last week

National Transportation Safety Board inspectors are still on Kauai wrapping up their investigation. Federal investigators said the pilot of the Heli-USA tour helicopter maneuvered away from another helicopter before crashing. However, a passenger, who survived the crash, said that is not what happened.

After seeing video of the mangled helicopter he was flying in, survivor Bill Thorson said he is amazed anyone made it out alive. Thorson said those aboard the copter Friday did see another tour helicopter just before they flew into the rainstorm, but he said it was so far below them.

"When we saw that other helicopter, the only thing the pilot said was 'We may have to turn around, too,'" Thorson said.

He said 20 seconds after flying into the rainstorm the helicopter dropped dramatically.

"We dropped so low that I looked out my door window and I noticed we were just inches above the water, and at that time, a loud buzzer was going off like beep, beep, beep," Thorson said.

Thorson said the pilot seemed to regain control and the helicopter went up again, but soon fell into the sea.

"(The pilot) said prepare to evacuate. That was it. And then he yelled, 'Mayday, mayday, mayday,'" Thorson said. "By the time I reached for the door, as we were spinning, I unbuckled my seatbelt. I put my life-vest on, I took my headset off and by the time I reached my hand to the door I was already completely underwater."

Thorson, his wife Karen and the pilot, Glen Lampton, survived. Verne Clifton, Karen's father, died along with best friends Mary Soucy and Catherine Baron.

Thorson said when he, his wife and the pilot were swimming to shore, the pilot only mentioned the wind knocking the helicopter out of the sky. Thorson said the pilot never mentioned another helicopter causing any problems.