By Bill Gilman
Managing Editor
A sightseeing helicopter crash off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii, has claimed the lives of a married couple with deep ties to Needham.
Patrick Haskell, 59, and Margaret Rimmler, 65, were two of the three people killed when their tour helicopter, operated by Airborne Aviation, crashed into the ocean near Kalalau Beach on the afternoon of March 26. A third victim, a 40-year-old woman, also died in the incident.
Haskell was a well-known figure in the Needham business community, having run the Haskell Insurance Agency for decades alongside his late father, George. Friends and colleagues noted that Haskell had recently retired after the agency merged with a Dedham-based firm in 2025.
Rimmler, a creative marketing executive, was remembered for her work with various tech startups and her passion for exploration. Family and friends described the couple as being in a new chapter of their lives, finally taking the time to travel and embrace adventures together following years of hard work.
"We are heartbroken and devastated," a family member said in a statement, requesting privacy for both families during this time.
The Incident
The helicopter was carrying one pilot and four passengers when it went down around 3:45 p.m. HST just off the Na Pali Coast. Two individuals survived the crash and were transported to Wilcox Medical Center for treatment; their current conditions have not been released.
Witnesses on the beach, including campers, reportedly attempted to resuscitate victims before first responders from the Kauai Fire Department and U.S. Coast Guard arrived at the remote scene.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are investigating the cause of the crash. This incident marks the latest in a series of fatal sightseeing accidents in Hawaii, where at least 16 people have died in helicopter crashes over the past seven years.
