An investigation into a helicopter crash that claimed the life of a pilot on the roof of an Australian hotel has revealed that alcohol played a role, and the pilot lacked the proper qualifications to fly at night.
The crash, which occurred on August 12 in the tropical city of Cairns, forced the evacuation of 400 people from the hotel. Two guests were treated for smoke inhalation.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released its final report on Thursday, confirming that the pilot, Blake Wilson, a 23-year-old New Zealand national, was not authorized to fly the Robinson R44 helicopter on the four-minute flight, nor were there any mechanical failures that led to the crash.
Wilson, who had been working for Nautilus Aviation since April, held commercial pilot licenses in both Australia and New Zealand and had experience flying the R44 model. However, his role at the company was primarily as a ground handler, and he was not certified to operate aircraft during nighttime.
“The flight was a purposeful act, but there was no evidence to explain the pilot’s intentions,” the report stated.
Wilson was scheduled to be transferred by Nautilus Aviation to an island 800 kilometers (500 miles) from Cairns on the day of the accident. However, he had been drinking with colleagues and friends the previous night at several local bars before returning to his apartment.
Toxicology reports indicated that Wilson had a “significant blood-alcohol content” at the time of the crash, although the report did not specify the exact concentration. It confirmed he was “affected by alcohol.”
After returning to his apartment, Wilson traveled to Cairns Airport, accessed a Nautilus hangar using a security code, and took off in the helicopter. He flew over his apartment twice, as well as over a wharf complex and along the waterfront, before the crash occurred. Security footage captured the helicopter abruptly pitching up before descending onto the hotel roof, where most of the wreckage remained.
Wilson’s flight never exceeded an altitude of 500 feet (152 meters), falling short of the Australian aviation regulation that requires pilots to maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 feet (304 meters) over built-up areas.
Chief Commissioner of the ATSB, Angus Mitchell, noted that Wilson had deliberately turned off the helicopter’s strobe lights, making it difficult for air traffic control to detect his flight.
“We do know that the pilot did take significant measures to conceal the nature of the flight,” Mitchell said during a press briefing.
“This is quite an exceptional set of circumstances for the ATSB to be investigating,” he added.
(AP)
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