A Medevac pilot’s catastrophic error has led to a tragic crash, claiming the lives of all three crew members onboard. The chilling final words of pilot Brian Trepo, “We’re going to give it a try,” echoed moments before the aircraft plunged into the ocean, marking a devastating end to what was supposed to be a routine flight from Maui to the Big Island on December 15, 2022.

An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has revealed a series of alarming oversights and deficiencies in Trepo’s training and experience. Despite holding an airline transport pilot certificate with over 7,600 flight hours, Trepo had only 600 hours in the King Air C90 he was flying, and a troubling history of failed check rides that raised serious concerns about his competency. In the months leading up to the crash, he had received multiple unsatisfactory ratings during training sessions, yet was still permitted to pilot the aircraft.

The night of the tragedy, Trepo had been awake for over 16 hours and was reportedly fatigued, yet he did not invoke company policies allowing him to step back due to exhaustion. The weather was clear, but the flight into the dark ocean posed unique challenges, exacerbated by Trepo’s premature engagement of the autopilot and distractions from personal devices during critical phases of flight.

As the flight progressed, Trepo faced equipment failures and failed to declare an emergency, ultimately losing control of the aircraft. The NTSB cited inadequate training protocols from Guardian Flight, the operator, as a primary factor in the tragedy, highlighting a systemic failure to address Trepo’s ongoing performance issues.

This heartbreaking incident underscores the critical importance of rigorous training and oversight in aviation, where lives hang in the balance. As the investigation continues, the aviation community is left to grapple with the devastating consequences of one pilot’s fatal mistakes.