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Helicopter pilot was drunk when he crashed into Australian hotel


Robert Besser
16 Oct 2024

CANBERRA, Australia: A helicopter crash that claimed the life of a pilot on the roof of an Australian hotel in Cairns two months ago was caused by the pilot being under the influence of alcohol, as well as his lack of qualifications to fly at night, according to an official investigation.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released its final report, concluding that Blake Wilson, a 23-year-old New Zealand pilot, had been impaired by alcohol when the helicopter crashed into the hotel on August 12. The crash caused the evacuation of 400 people, with two hotel guests briefly hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

Wilson, employed by Nautilus Aviation since April, was not authorized to conduct the four-minute night flight in the Robinson R44 helicopter. Though holding commercial pilot licenses in both Australia and New Zealand, he had been working as a ground handler and did not have the necessary qualifications for nighttime flying.

The ATSB found no mechanical issues with the helicopter that could have contributed to the crash. The report noted that the flight had not been authorized and described Wilson's actions as "a purposeful act," though his intentions remain unclear.

On the day of the incident, Wilson had been scheduled to transfer to an island 800 kilometers from Cairns but had been drinking with colleagues the night before. Toxicology reports showed a significant blood-alcohol level at the time of his death.

Wilson used a security code to access a Nautilus hangar at Cairns Airport before taking off. He flew over his apartment twice and along the city's waterfront before the helicopter descended steeply onto the hotel roof. Security footage revealed that the helicopter never flew higher than 500 feet, despite regulations requiring flights to remain at least 1,000 feet above built-up areas.

The investigation also found that Wilson had turned off the helicopter's strobe lights, making it harder for air traffic control to detect the flight.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said, "We do know that the pilot did take significant measures to conceal the nature of the flight."

"This is quite an exceptional set of circumstances for the ATSB to be investigating," he added.

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