No survivors: Five people die in helicopter crash off Anna Bay
Experienced pilot David Kerr perished with four of his passengers, including Queenslanders Jamie Ogden and Grant Kuhnemann, when his helicopter crashed off the coast of NSW. His restored war chopper hit strong winds and vanished from the flight radar last night. LISTEN TO HIS LAST CALL
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A pilot feared dead alongside four other passengers in a helicopter crash was an experienced and confident flyer from Queensland.
Brisbane man David Kerr’s pride and joy, a Bell UH-1H helicopter, disappeared in destructive winds off the coast of Port Stephens in NSW on Friday night.
Police believe he was on board with four other passengers, three men and a woman from Brisbane and Sydney, when the Vietnam War-era “Huey” helicopter dropped rapidly and vanished from the Williamtown Airport flight radar.
Two of the men from Queensland believed to be on board were Jamie Ogden and Grant Kuhnemann.
The army-green helicopter took off from its base in Archerfield in southeast Queensland before making a fuel stop at Coffs Harbour Airport.
The Sunday Telegraph has gained access to his last audio call to the tower, and while some of it is inaudible, Mr Kerr requested being able to fly at a higher altitude.
It took off again headed for Bankstown Airport but hit strong winds off the coast of Anna Bay and disappeared about 6.15pm.
Mr Kerr was an experienced pilot who previously operated Brisbane Helicopters out of Archerfield Airport.
He registered the helicopter last October after restoring it.
“He had it for about 12 months and it was in very good condition,” said Warbird Aviation pilot Kim Rolph-Smith, who has a hangar opposite Mr Kerr’s at Archerfield.
“It was flown regularly; I would be very surprised if there was anything wrong with it. He was a very confident pilot.”
It is understood Mr Kerr, who previously owned a real estate agency in Kenmore, had reluctantly listed the aircraft for sale recently.
One aviation source suggested Mr Kerr was on a “ferry flight” and flying the helicopter to Sydney were it would be housed at a hangar at Bankstown Airport.
#RESCUE UPDATE: #Lifesaver21 is continuing to support a multi-agency search with #NSWPolice vessel Nemesis near Port Stephens for a missing helicopter in difficult conditions. Updates to follow pic.twitter.com/ZsXgOT4AFv
— Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters (@Lifesaverhelo) September 7, 2019
Hopes faded of finding any survivors on Saturday when the Australian Maritime Safety Authority suspended the search for the aircraft due to the extent of the damage.
“The search was focused on an area of about 150 square nautical miles where the radar signal was lost,” a spokesman said.
“Weather conditions in the area at the time the aircraft went missing were poor with strong winds and reduced visibility.
“Air traffic control indicated that the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude when contact was lost, there was no detected emergency beacons signals or Mayday calls.”
Just before 9am on Saturday, a NSW Police boat spotted the tail rotor in the ocean. Forty-five minutes later the Westpac Rescue Helicopter sighted the main airframe semi-submerged eight kilometres south of Fingal Bay.
The search and rescue operation turned into a recovery effort from midday.
* Additional reporting Dan Knowles