Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board continued to gather information Wednesday, searching for the reason a Robinson 44 helicopter crashed in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Kailua.

Two investigators spent the day examining the air frame and engine, as well as meeting with the operator, Novictor Helicopters, according to NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss.

At about 9:15 a.m. Monday, the helicopter crashed on Oneawa Street in Kailua and erupted into flames, killing everyone on board, and scattering debris over several blocks.

The Honolulu Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the three victims as Joseph G. Berridge, 28, the male pilot, and two female passengers as Ryan McAuliffe, 28, of Chicago, and Jan Burgess, 76, of Australia. Berridge had just moved to Honolulu from Albuquerque, N.M., to fly tour helicopters, his father said.

The cause of death for all three was “multiple blunt force injuries.” No other injuries were reported, but residents in the neighborhood are still reeling from the tragedy that came so close.

Jessica Lani Rich, president of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, said she met with McAuliffe’s parents and other family members. VASH is providing them with assistance and bereavement support.

The family asked for “privacy and prayer,” said Rich. “This is an extremely difficult time for them. Who ever expects anything like this to happen to anyone, let alone someone you’re close to? Also, our condolences go out to the other victims, also to the first responders because this is a very tragic situation.”

On Tuesday, the NTSB investigators spent the entire day examining the wreckage on Oneawa Street in Kailua but were not ready to issue a statement to the press by the end of the day.

At approximately 5 p.m., crews removed the helicopter wreckage with a crane and flatbed truck. City officials reported Oneawa Street by Kalolina Street, previously closed for the investigation, had reopened as of 7:21 p.m. Tuesday.

Weiss said the NTSB staff, with assistance from members of the Federal Aviation Administration, try to get to the scene of the accident within 24 hours, and spend several days conducting an on-site investigation.

What investigators have found, so far, is that the flight took off at about 8:54 a.m. from Honolulu on Monday and crashed at about 9:15 a.m. at the Oneawa Street site in Kailua. Based on interviews, witnesses observed the helicopter with a low nose, descending rapidly, with none of the rotor blades moving. They saw the helicopter fall straight down.

Novictor Helicopters, founded by CEO Nicole Vandelaar in 2011, is one of several companies that offer tours of Oahu.

Novictor’s fleet includes Robinson R44s that are red, with the Novictor logo, which has a six-petaled flower and swirl.

The company’s website — novictorhelicopters.com — says Vandelaar is recognized within the local aviation community “as an expert pilot commercially licensed to fly helicopters and airplanes.”

It says she began training as a pilot at the age of 16, and worked at a helicopter charter service in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving a clientele that included vineyard owners in Napa Valley and top-ranked chefs.

The company advertises several tours on Oahu, including a “Path to Pali Passage” that flies over the inland passages of the Nuuanu Pali cliffs, and “Isle Sights Unseen,” which flies in close for a view of the Sacred Falls waterfall, for prices ranging from $180 to $315 per person. Passengers can choose to fly with or without doors.

Photos posted to the company’s Instagram and Facebook include smiling passengers and stunning, aerial landscapes.

While online ratings of the company have been predominately positive, one user posted a TripAdvisor review on Tuesday warning others that “this is the tour company that had a helicopter crash yesterday in Honolulu suburb killing 3 people.”

Vandelaar issued a statement on Monday, expressing condolences to the deceased, saying safety was a top priority and that the company was cooperating with authorities. The company operates out of the Castle &Cooke Aviation building off of Lagoon Drive.

She was in meetings Wednesday afternoon, and unavailable to comment further.

The NTSB generally issues a preliminary report within two weeks of the accident, said Weiss, listing facts discovered, but will not address the cause of the accident. The final report, including all facts, an analysis and findings of probable cause, generally takes 12 to 24 months.