Loretta Fuddy, the state of Hawaii's Health Director, died in the crash of a small aircraft one-half mile off of the coast of Molokai late Wednesday.

65-year-old Fuddy, who made national news two and a half years ago when she authenticated President Obama’s birth certificate, was the only person to die in the Makani Kai Air Cessna Grand Caravan that was carrying the pilot and eight passengers. She was traveling on state health department business when she died.

The owner of Makani Kai Air, Richard Shuman, said the aircraft went down of the coast due to engine problems. The aircraft was headed to Honolulu, and crashed shortly after take-off. The cause of the engine failure is currently unknown and the owner said that the aircraft has never experienced any problems in the past.

FAA is scheduled to speak with the pilot and surviving passengers on Thursday. It is believed that the location where the aircraft went down will make recovery of the aircraft impossible.

In a statement, the governor of Hawaii, Governor Neil Abercrombie said, “Our hearts are broken, Loretta was deeply loved and respected. She was selfless, utterly dedicated and committed to her colleagues in the Department of Health and to the people of Hawaii. Her knowledge was vast; her counsel and advice always given from her heart as much as from her storehouse of experience.”

Fuddy, along with Tom Matsuda recently worked to set up the Obamacare website. Matsuda called her death a “terrible loss,” and said, “I worked closely with Director Fuddy on the Affordable Care Act and came to know and respect her as a passionate advocate for public health and a warm, caring human being.”

It was in April of 2011 that Fuddy released President Obama’s birth certificate to the public at the President’s request. The release was made in response to “Birther,” who insisted that Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii and so was ineligible to be President of the United States.