The Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) conducted a triennial emergency exercise at Kapalua Airport in West Maui on April 17, bringing together local emergency responders and volunteers for a simulated aircraft incident.
The exercise is part of the Federal Aviation Administration’s certification requirements and tests the preparedness and response capabilities for airfield disasters. The drill ran from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and involved simulating a Cessna 208 Grand Caravan with collapsed nose gear upon landing, using a tractor as the stand-in aircraft. Volunteer actors and manikins represented injured passengers during the scenario.
Participants included Kapalua Airport Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting personnel, staff from both Kapalua and Kahului airports, Maui Fire Department, Maui Police Department, American Medical Response teams, as well as community volunteers. The event did not affect normal airport operations.
According to the official website, HDOT manages multiple facilities including airports for domestic and international carriers, commercial harbors, and highways throughout Hawaii’s six major islands. The department operates eleven commercial service airports along with four general aviation airports, nine commercial harbors, and maintains over 2,400 lane miles of highways across these islands according to the agency.
HDOT functions within the executive branch of state government according to its official website and collaborates with federal agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Highway Administration as well as county-level planning departments according to HDOT. The department aims to provide safe and efficient transportation systems that support economic growth while maintaining quality of life across all major Hawaiian islands as reported by HDOT.
