Prosecutors on Kaua'i have opened a homicide investigation into a tour helicopter crash that killed three people in September, television station KITV reported last night.

"The FAA has asked us to investigate the matter involving possible homicides," Kaua'i County Deputy Prosecutor Richard Minatoya told KITV. "Their request is based on concerns for air safety involving helicopter tours on the island."

The Federal Aviation Administration was ready to be of assistance, a spokesman said.

"If they choose to prosecute, then we would very likely be able to make available evidence that we collected in our investigation," FAA spokesman Donn Walker said from Los Angeles.

Glen Lampton, the pilot of the Heli USA Airways helicopter that crashed Sept. 23, told investigators that just before the accident, he suddenly saw another helicopter coming straight for him, made a left turn to avoid an accident and encountered heavy rain, the National Transportation Safety Board has reported.

Lampton's helicopter descended rapidly and crashed into the ocean near Ha'ena Point, along Kaua'i's north shore, leaving three of his passengers dead. He and two other passengers survived.

"We've been interviewing other pilots and looking into the weather situation — obviously, involving the decision by the pilot to fly into the weather," Minatoya said.

The pilot of the other helicopter, Ian Bagano, told investigators he was several miles away at the time of the accident.

Bagano, who flies for InterIsland Helicopters, and two other tour helicopter pilots said they also encountered rain showers, but made controlled descents to get out of the foul weather.

Inter-Island owner Ken D'Attilio has blamed the accident on Lampton's lack of experience in flying helicopters around Kaua'i.

Although Lampton has piloted helicopters for about 16 years, at the time of the crash he had worked for Heli USA for only six or seven weeks.

The two surviving passengers, Karen and Bill Thorson of Beloit, Wis., have said that they saw another helicopter at the time, but that it was so far away, they didn't believe that Lampton had to maneuver to avoid hitting it.

Karen Thorson's father, Laverne Clifton, 68, died of cardiac arrest caused by near drowning. Catherine Baron, 68, and Mary H. Soucy, 62, both of Portland, Maine, drowned.