Cairns chopper crash pilot affected by alcohol, ATSB report finds

A young man who took a helicopter and crashed it into a Cairns hotel rooftop, was affected by alcohol, an ATSB investigation has found.

The young man who flew a helicopter into the rooftop of a Cairns hotel was under the influence of alcohol, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation has found.

Blake Wilson, 23, was killed when the Robinson R44, belonging to his employer Nautilus Aviation, crashed into the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Cairns Esplanade early on the morning of August 12.

The night before the fateful flight, Mr Wilson had been celebrating a new posting with Nautilus Aviation, to Horn Island in the Torres Strait.

He was due to relocate to the island on the afternoon of August 12.

ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said their investigation found Mr Wilson conducted the unauthorised and unnecessary flight “while affected by alcohol”.

Toxicology tests revealed a “significant blood alcohol content” but no drugs were detected in his body, nor was he affected by carbon monoxide.

The ATSB report noted that before the flight, Mr Wilson was socialising with friends at various venues in Cairns, where they had been consuming alcohol.

He returned to his apartment about 11pm, with CCTV footage showing him driving away from the apartment complex at 1:09am.

Airport security cameras showed Mr Wilson moving the helicopter to a helipad just after 1.30am.

The horrific crash site on the roof top of Double Tree by Hilton on the Cairns Esplanade. . Picture: ATSB

“We know from GPS and air traffic control radar data that the helicopter departed Cairns Airport shortly before 1:47am, while CCTV footage showed that the helicopter’s strobe lights were turned off by the pilot,” Mr Mitchell said.

The collision with the hotel roof occurred just four minutes later, at 1.51am.

“Two security cameras recorded very brief portions of the final part of the flight and showed the helicopter pitching up, then almost immediately descending steeply before colliding into the roof of the hotel,” said Mr Mitchell.

“Wreckage distribution and impact marks indicate that the helicopter was inverted at impact.”

Most of the helicopter came to rest on the hotel roof and was destroyed by impact forces and a fuel-fed post-impact fire. Mr Wilson was fatally injured.

“The pilot did not hold the appropriate endorsements to fly at night, did not have any experience flying the R44 at night, and conducted the flight well below the 1000ft minimum height for flight over built-up areas,” said Mr Mitchell.

At no time did the flight exceed an altitude of 500ft (152m) and there was no evidence available to explain the pilot’s intentions, he added.

The flight path of the Robinson R44 flown by Blake Wilson on August 12. Picture: ATSB

Parts of the main rotor blade were found in the hotel rooms below the accident site, while the helicopter’s instrument panel, main rotor head and most of the main rotor blades were found within the hotel grounds.

A portion of the same main rotor blade that struck the hotel windows was found in parkland across the road.

Damage to hotel room immediately under the point of impact at Cairns hotel. Picture: ATSB

Mr Mitchell said it was fortunate there were no injuries to hotel guests and staff, nor passers-by.

“From the available evidence, there were no airworthiness factors with the helicopter that likely contributed to the accident,” Mr Mitchell said.

“The flight was a purposeful act, but there was no evidence available to explain the pilot’s intentions.”

He said Mr Wilson’s family were deeply distressed by the incident, and had requested privacy.

Originally published as Cairns chopper crash pilot affected by alcohol, ATSB report finds