Pilot Blake Wilson significantly affected by alcohol stolen chopper crash

The 23-year-old pilot killed after crashing a helicopter into a Cairns hotel was intoxicated during the incident, an investigation has revealed.

A report into a fatal helicopter collision has revealed the 23-year-old pilot was significantly under the influence of alcohol when he crashed into a Cairns hotel.

An investigation conducted by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) revealed Blake Wilson had a “significant” blood alcohol content when the Robinson R44 chopper he was piloting crashed into the Hilton DoubleTree hotel on the Cairns Esplanade at about 1.51am on August 12.

New Zealand pilot Blake Wilson died when the helicopter he was piloting crashed into a Cairns hotel on Monday morning on August 12.

Witness reports and video recordings also revealed the New Zealand pilot had been consuming alcohol while out with friends in Cairns, before they returned to their apartment at about 11pm the night prior.

Video footage than revealed Mr Wilson driving away from the venue at 01.09am, and reappearing at the Nautilus Aviation hangar at Cairns Airport about 20 minutes later.

“The pilot was affected by a significant amount of alcohol before and during the flight,” the report found.

“The pilot further increased risk to themselves and those on the ground by conducting the unauthorised flight well below the 1,000ft allowed for flight over a built-up area.”

Although the pilot had a New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority commercial pilot licence, only 16.8 hours of his 157.8 hours of aeronautic experience had been spent flying Robinson R44 helicopters.

Mr Wilson was able to access the hanger as he was employed by Nautilus Aviation as a ground crew member.

While no guests or hotel staff were injured in the collision, the chopper was completely destroyed during the crash landing on the hotel’s roof.

Parts of the chopper rotor were found in the rooms underneath the main crash site on the hotel room. Picture: ATSB

Debris from the crash was also found at the park opposite the Cairns hotel. Picture: NewsWire/ Brendan Radke

Parts of the main rotor were also found in rooms underneath the crash site, the report found.

“The helicopter instrument panel, glare shield-mounted GPS, mast, main rotor head and blades were separated from the helicopter’s fuselage during the accident sequence,” the report found. “They were located within the hotel grounds below the impact location.

“The remaining portion of the rotor blade that impacted the windows was found in parkland across the road from the hotel.”

The report also found Mr Wilson flew “well below” the 1000ft height required of pilots when flowing over populous areas, which would have placed increased risk of endangering both himself and people on the ground.

Although the ATSB said the role of the investigation was not to put blame on an organisation or individual, it concluded the collision was an “unauthorised but purposeful act”.

“For reasons unknown, pilot actions resulted in a collision with a building while conducting an unauthorised and unnecessary flight, while affected by alcohol, late at night and at low heights over a built-up area, and without night flying endorsements,” it said.

Originally published as Pilot Blake Wilson significantly affected by alcohol stolen chopper crash