Helicopter Down: Flight Accident in the East Maui Mosquito Release Project Area

In what may be the second project-related safety incident in the last five months, a helicopter accident in Kīpahulu Valley brings more scrutiny to the serious risks of this dangerous plan

On February 20^th, 2024, Windward Aviation’s helicopter N690WA went down in Kīpahulu Valley. Fortunately, no one was killed in the accident, but there was substantial damage to the helicopter. While we wait for the final report, there is a preliminary report available to view. Researching further, we found the flight patterns of helicopter N690WA on the morning of the incident to be over the mosquito release project area. It looks like the helicopter made a “hard landing” in Haleakalā National Park, an area managed by the National Park Service (lead agency at the federal level for the mosquito release project).

Curiously, we’ve seen very little news coverage of the incident.

Helicopter N690WA 2/20/24 6:52am-8:09am HST

We can see from the flight track log that helicopter N690WA had multiple variations in speed and altitude on the morning of the accident. This flight may have been transporting crew members for the mosquito project. N690WA’s first flight returned to the Kahului area, then the helicopter departed again to the Kīpahulu Valley project area where the accident occurred. We do believe this flight accident could be connected to the Birds, Not Mosquitoes (BNM) multi-agency partnership bacteria-infected mosquito release experiment. The flight track log shows less variations in speed and altitude than the earlier flight, and it’s unclear if this second flight was part of an actual mosquito release. The crew may have been monitoring or transporting in connection with the project. The preliminary report narrative explains that the Hughes 369D helicopter N690WA “sustained substantial damage when the tail rotor was hit with unsecured rain gear that flew out.” Flying without doors on the helicopters for this mosquito release project can be hazardous.

Helicopter N690WA 2/20/24 8:46am-9:14am HST

Helicopter N690WA 2/20/24 Accident Investigation

Maui Final Environmental Assessment

While we don’t know yet what the official cause of the accident was, it is very alarming that this helicopter went down. Hawai‘i Unites has repeatedly brought serious issues about the mosquito release helicopter flights to the attention of the agencies involved, including the potential for collisions, accidents, and wildland fires. Incidents like this set a strong precedent that the concerns we’ve raised in our testimony, comments, and legal case opposing this project are valid, and that the mosquito release plan is far too risky to continue moving forward. Deviations from the approved plan elevate those risk factors significantly.

According to the final environmental assessment (EA/FEA) for the Maui mosquito project:

“Given the noise and visual impacts, logistics, and financial requirements of helicopters, the use of helicopters for releasing incompatible mosquitoes is proposed as a short-term (up to two months), temporary release method if drone releases are unavailable. In that event, helicopters could release incompatible mosquitoes for up to two months in management units where population suppression can be sustained.”

However, as we pointed out in our court case, since the releases started in early November of last year, it appears that mosquitoes are being released over the East Maui project area solely by helicopter rather than by drone. We are now almost four months into these mosquito releases, which is close to double the time proposed for helicopter use in the approved EA.

“This is significant because release by helicopters rather than drones deviates from the plan.”

Additionally, in our case we pointed out that the helicopter longline release system described in the approved EA is not the system being used:

“The system described in the FEA for release of mosquitoes from helicopters does not appear to be the system in use. Based on the low altitude of the flights, it appears that Defendants are not using a longline cable attached to the belly hook of the helicopter to drop the mosquito packages. It is unclear what method the Defendants are using to drop the mosquitoes from the helicopters, but it is believed that the helicopters are flying closer to the tree canopy than the 150 to 200 feet AGL (above ground level) than was stated in the FEA. This is important because it deviates from the approved plan and increases the potential for adverse impacts such as noise disturbances; nesting, breeding, and roosting disturbances; helicopter rotor wash; accidents and collisions; and wildland fires.”

Following our court hearing last month where this information was documented in our memorandum, BNM again attempted to cover their tracks through their slick media campaign, casually mentioning the release method deviations as if they were the same as the approved plan. They are not.

“Mosquito-filled containers – described as ‘disintegrating, cardboard pods’ – are pushed through tubes via helicopter, launching the insects into the ecosystem…”

Note: The Maui Now online article quoted above has been revised since first published. An earlier version described the mosquito-filled containers as ‘chewing tobacco pucks.’ Also worth noting in this article are references to expanding the lab-altered mosquito releases to lower elevations, and advancing from Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) to “permanent” solutions that likely coincide with long-term plans described in the agencies’ documents regarding gene drives, synthetic biology control tools, and CRISPR gene-edited mosquitoes (pgSIT) to be mass produced in the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Oahu lab insectary for release on the islands “into perpetuity” (forever):

“Right now, [IIT] is buying us time until we can come up with something that is perhaps permanent and also perhaps, cheaper and easier…”

“If successful and cost effective, representatives say IIT may not only be repeated on Maui, but even possibly expanded to reestablish bird communities in areas like lowlands…”

Of further interest, that same media coverage published the day after the accident made no mention of the helicopter incident. Instead, the focus was on announcing an additional $3 million in federal funding for the mosquito release project. On February 20^th, the same day the helicopter went down, Birds, Not Mosquitoes agency partner leadership from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service met at Haleakalā National Park to promote their financial windfall. With now over $33 million in federal funding alone on the line, these agencies have an agenda. Does part of that agenda include censoring the reporting of project-related safety incidents rather than informing the community?

Back to the issue at hand – because of the release plan deviations, these helicopter flights could also be at risk of what’s known as the “dead man’s curve,” a vulnerability caused by flying at lower altitudes and reduced speeds:

“There’s never a good time for an engine failure, but limiting your time in the ‘avoid’ area of the height-velocity diagram increases your chances of a safe escape.

The unique attributes of vertical flight have many amazing benefits, but they also come with some downsides. Fixed-wing airplanes have a ‘coffin corner’ close to the limits of their flight envelope at high altitude; helicopters have ‘avoid’ areas close to the ground, where a combination of height and velocity can render them vulnerable in the event of a power loss. This combination of height (H) and velocity (V) is graphically depicted in the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM) in the HV diagram. A more ominous epithet for the HV diagram — but one commonly used in the field — is ‘dead man’s curve.’”

Hughes 369D Rotorcraft Flight Manual: HV diagram “dead man’s curve”

These helicopters were not meant to fly at the reduced speeds and altitudes needed to drop the mosquito-filled pods/pucks over the remote forest landscape. That alone drastically increases the potential significant impacts of the plan.

We’ll have to see what the final report determines, but it seems this helicopter accident could be the second project-related safety incident in the last five months. As documented in our court case, a fire was reported in the sling load underneath and within the action packer of one of the helicopters during the mosquito monitoring phase of the project:

“FEA Chapter 2: ‘Alternatives’ mentions the use of battery-operated mosquito traps, but it doesn’t say anything about the type of batteries. Based on information and belief, these are 12V deep cycle batteries. Transporting these ‘hazardous materials’ brings additional fire risks, as evidenced by an accidental fire caused by what is believed to be one of the ‘action packers’ containing a battery on September 22, 2023. This is important because there isn’t any discussion in the FEA on mitigating risks of hazardous materials used in mosquito monitoring.”

Aviation Safety Communique (SAFECOM) report #23-1026

Aviation Safety Communique (SAFECOM) report #23-1026

Aviation Safety Communique (SAFECOM) report #23-1026 Attachment: burned battery

We’ve been pointing out the risks of these mosquito release activities since well before this project was approved, and we’ve highlighted the lack of mitigation measures in place if something goes wrong. Shortly after the devastating fires in August, we published an article, “Mosquitoes on Maui: Can We Trust Hawai'i’s Government?,” about the startling incompetence in the State of Hawai‘i’s systems management and government response, and how the tragedy in Lahaina revealed a dangerous lack of regard for the safety of the people.

“As speculation about the cause of the fire and about the ‘smart city’ rebuild agenda for Maui continues, we do have to ask ourselves another question. Do we trust our state and federal agencies to prioritize public safety in executing the other major projects they’re responsible for? After over a year of presenting solid, highly concerning documentation about the risks of the experimental mosquito release plan on Maui to a combative, unresponsive board of decision-makers, my answer is a resounding ‘No.’ This dangerous plan poses so many potential significant impacts to our environment, wildlife, and the people of Maui, it is abundantly clear that an Environmental Impact Statement should have been completed. Instead, we’re forced to take our own government to court to seek a ruling to require them to do the right thing.”

“The topic of wildland fires has repeatedly been brought to the attention of agency partners over the past several months, and the only response has been an entirely inadequate mention in the final environmental assessment’s public comment section that refers back to the same insufficient mitigation measures.”

“Our government in Hawai‘i and its agencies have shown a reckless disregard for the safety of the people and the ‘āina of these islands. We cannot stand for this any longer. These government officials need to take responsibility for the decisions they make, and they need to stop being driven by their funding sources and start answering to the public that they serve.”

Now we’ve come full circle. The approved EA for this mosquito experiment was already sorely lacking in safety measures, and the agencies involved are now flagrantly deviating from even that plan. Helicopter fire and accident incidents in the project area just a few months into this disastrous plan certainly raise alarm bells. When will it be enough to stop this travesty and put the well-being of the people, wildlife, and āina first?

Please stand with Hawai‘i Unites as we continue challenging this bacteria-infected mosquito release experiment in court. We’re in for a rough road ahead in this David and Goliath battle, but we won’t stop researching, documenting, and speaking truth about this risky project, and we will hold these agencies accountable. We’ve filed an appeal for our case to stop the mosquito releases on Maui and demand an environmental impact statement, and we’re raising funds as we go to move this legal case forward.

Your support as a community keeps us going, and your tax-deductible donations help us continue the important work that we’re doing to protect our environment and the people of these islands.

Mahalo,
Tina Lia
Founder
Hawai‘i Unites
HawaiiUnites.org

Hawai‘i Unites is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of our environment and natural resources. Your tax-deductible donations help us to fulfill our mission of honoring and protecting our sacred connection to the natural world.

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