911 Calls Describe Dewees Crash

New details continue to emerge about the deadly light-sport aircraft accident that claimed two lives on Wednesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate the incident, which happened off the coast of Dewees Island near Isle of Palms. FAA findings won't be released until the National Transportation Safety Board posts its report on its website, according to Kathleen Bergen, an Atlanta-based FAA spokeswoman.

Read more about the Dewees Island crash.

WCSC-TV played audio from 911 recordings and interviewed other light-sport aircraft enthusiasts. Callers reported that Lucas Smith and Carley Donohue were high in the air when their aircraft encountered trouble and then plunged into the water.

Friends recalled to the Post and Courier that Smith loved his "flying boat" and had operated it safely for years. They mourned the loss of Smith and Donohue, who worked together on local motoryachts.

"Smith had flown [the flying boat] around Mount Pleasant and his hometown of Sullivan's Island for a decade or more without so much as a scratch, sometimes taking tourists to the top of the Morris Island Lighthouse just for the fun of it," Andy Paras reported.

Friends are grieving the loss. Both Smith and Donohue were well liked in the area, according to a WCBD-TV story.

"Lucas Smith is described as fun, caring and someone who puts other people first. That’s why one of his employees said she knows he did everything he could to prevent Wednesday’s fatal plane crash." Read Laura Hettiger's full story.

Both Smith and Donohue were dead when rescue workers reached them, but that didn't stop a feaverish attempt to save their lives, according to a WCIV-TV story.

"A local fisherman acted fast to pull the two from the water and a helicopter was sent to take them to MUSC. But, officials say they died before they ever made it on board." Read the entire WCIV-TV story.

The Dewees Island Blog offered the only view of the crash scene. The island is accessible only by boat or ferry, and you must be the guest of a resident to get access.

"Our hearts go out to the families of those who lost their lives yesterday afternoon, and our thanks go to all the various agencies and first responders who arrived to help," the bloggers wrote.