WA Coroner closes the book on Amber Millar’s chopper crash death

A West Australian coroner has closed the book on schoolgirl Amber Millar’s death, making an administrative finding that she died from the multiple injuries she suffered in a fatal Kimberley chopper crash with high-profile pilot Troy Thomas.

Amber Millar was killed in July 2020 when Troy Thomas’s helicopter crashed immediately after take-off from an industrial site in Broome.

A West Australian coroner has completed his investigation into the death of schoolgirl Amber Millar and ruled that she died from multiple injuries sustained in a fatal Kimberley chopper crash with high-profile pilot Troy Thomas.

The 12-year-old was killed in July 2020, when Thomas’ helicopter – a Robinson R44 registered VH-NBY – crashed immediately after take-off from an industrial site in Broome.

Amber’s mum Fiona Benbow and stepdad Clint wrote to the coroner twice, begging for an inquest into their only child’s death.

But last month, Coroner Michael Jenkin refused, saying he already had sufficient evidence to make his findings and did not believe an inquest would generate additional new information.

He has since written a heartbreaking letter to the Benbows, detailing the circumstances of their daughter’s death, and informing them that his “enquiries are now complete”.

Clint and Fiona Benbow with their daughter Amber Millar, who was killed in a Broome chopper crash.

Coroner Jenkin found that Amber died at Broome Regional Hospital on July 4, 2020.

“Amber was born in East Fremantle and was 12 years of age at the time of her death,” he wrote.

“She enjoyed athletics and surfing, and was a talented netball player, having been selected to represent the Mandurah Talent Development Squad in a Statewide competition.

“She was also a former City of Mandurah junior councillor, and a member of the Coastal Waste Warriors.”

Amber and her mother had been invited by Thomas’ family to travel to Broome and join them on Thomas’ boat, during the winter school holidays, as Amber was close friends with their daughter Mia.

Thomas was an award-winning tourism operator and sole director of Avanova Pty Ltd, which was the registered operator of the destroyed chopper.

He kept the helicopter in a shed at his Bilingurr industrial property, north of Broome.

A fortnight before the fatal crash, Thomas’ operations manager Bryce McGlashan noticed a vibration in the tail rotor pedals, during a six-minute flight from the industrial site to Broome Airport, and told Thomas upon landing.

On July 2, Thomas collected friend Ashley Sutton – star of Disney Plus’ Shipwreck Hunters Australia – from Broome Airport in the chopper and took him on an 18-minute scenic flight before landing at the industrial site.

During that flight, Thomas also noticed the vibration and sent Mr McGlashan a text message confirming that the helicopter had a problem.

Television presenter Ernie Dingo with high-profile tourism operator and pilot Troy Thomas.

After landing, Thomas and Mr McGlashan discussed the vibration – which Thomas described as roughness through the tail rotor pedals – and arranged for an approved maintenance organisation (AMO) to inspect the chopper.

On July 3, engineers from the AMO inspected the helicopter at the industrial site and could not replicate the issue on the ground.

The engineers had wanted the helicopter to be hovered to see if the vibration was detectable in flight, but neither Thomas nor Mr McGlashan were available.

“A licensed pilot from the AMO considered hovering the helicopter himself, but decided against doing so because the industrial site was too confined and there was a risk of foreign object damage to the helicopter,” the coroner wrote.

“Accordingly, the helicopter was not hovered as part of the AMO inspection.”

After the inspection, the AMO’s engineer wrote in the helicopter’s work pack: “owner was notified flight check to be carried out”.

“Unfortunately, the requirement for a maintenance check flight was not documented in the helicopter’s maintenance release and Mr Thomas did not undertake a maintenance check flight following the AMO’s inspection,” the coroner said.

Troy Thomas’s industrial site where he took off from on the day of the fatal crash. Photo: ATSB.

The next day Thomas offered to take Mia, Amber and family friend Maddison Down on a chopper ride.

“It appears the plan was to fly to a snorkelling or swimming hole and the available evidence suggests that the proposed trip was a private flight and not a commercial operation,” the coroner said.

Thomas started the helicopter at about 2.28pm and boarded his three passengers.

At 2.34 pm, Thomas obtained clearance from Broome Air Traffic Control to depart the industrial site before conducting a towering high-power take off from the confined area.

The helicopter appeared to climb as expected but when it reached a height of about 17m, witnesses – including Amber’s mum, Troy’s widow Sophie and Mr McGlashan – “heard a bang”.

Over the next 2.7 seconds, they saw the chopper break up mid-air and plummet 75 feet into bitumen below.

“The helicopter continued to climb while rotating twice to the right, before rolling and crashing heavily to the ground,” the coroner said.

“The helicopter was destroyed, Mr Thomas was fatally injured and the two other passengers sustained serious injuries.”

The coroner said Amber was given first aid, including CPR, at the scene before an ambulance rushed her to Broome Regional Hospital.

“However, despite the best efforts of clinical staff, Amber died from the injuries she sustained in the crash,” he wrote.

“On the basis of the available information, I am satisfied Amber died from the injuries she sustained when the helicopter in which she was a passenger crashed.

“I find that death occurred by way of accident.”