ATSB investigation finds Katherine cattleman Mike Harding not qualified to fly at night
A beloved Katherine pastorialist’s fatal decision to board his helicopter on a smokey, moonless night has been investigated by the aviation watchdog.
Northern Territory
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A beloved Territory cattleman made the fatal decision to fly his chopper on a moonless night through hazy bushfire smoke, despite not being qualified to fly in the dark.
On Tuesday the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released its report into the death of Katherine-region pastoralist Mike Harding, three months after he disappeared from Bloodwood Station.
The aviation safety watchdog concluded that the 59-year-old chose to fly his Robinson R22 at 7.45pm, after last light on December 7, 2023, despite friends offering him a bed for the night.
The ATSB said it was meant to be a 17-minute flight from his friend’s home to Gorrie Station.
Yet friends were left waiting for half an hour after using the helicopter hangar lights to illuminate the landing area and guide him home.
Family members spotted the silhouette of Mr Harding’s helicopter as he passed by their Wyworrie Station homestead, later telling ATSB investigators he was “tracking towards smoke from fires” to the south.
The Gorrie station caretaker said during the flight Mr Harding radioed in and sounded “little bit disorientated”, saying he could not see the lights on the landing area.
This was the last time loved ones heard Mr Harding’s voice.
The ATSB said it was likely that Mr Harding flew through a smoke plume causing him to become “spatially disorientated” and crash.
The ATSB said the small helicopter hit a tall tree, cracking the cabin perspex, before smashing into the ground.
The burnt wreck of the chopper was found 46m from the initial tree strike, with the rotor blade discovered 75m beyond the main wreckage.
The impact-activated emergency locator transmitter had been removed from the helicopter, but Mr Harding was carrying a portable emergency beacon and a satellite phone.
It took two days for the crash site to be discovered, 6km from the Gorrie homestead.
The ATSB said Mr Harding had logged 6700 flight hours experience and managed the cattle station property since 1988, so was familiar with the region.
But the 59-year-old was not qualified to fly at night under his commercial pilot licence, nor was his helicopter equipped to fly in the dark.
The ATSB said it was a requirement for pilots to only fly in daylight conditions, and to plan to land 10 minutes before last light.
It said this was the third fatal incident due to a Robinson R22 flying at night in just three years, while a 2022 Civil Aviation Safety Authority report found aviation incidents at night were two-and-a-half times more likely to be fatal.
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