In a tragic incident that unfolded in August, 23-year-old pilot Blake Wilson lost his life when the helicopter he was piloting crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Cairns. Investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) reported that Wilson was “affected by a significant amount of alcohol” during the unauthorized flight.
According to the ATSB, Wilson had taken the helicopter from a hangar at a far north Queensland airport after a night of drinking with friends, labeling the flight as “unnecessary and unauthorized.” The crash occurred around 2 am, resulting in the evacuation of approximately 400 hotel guests, with Wilson being the only person on board the aircraft.
During a press briefing, ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell stressed, “Importantly, there was no airworthiness issue with the helicopter contributing to this accident. The flight was a deliberate act, but we lack evidence to clarify the pilot’s intentions.”
The final report from the ATSB highlighted that Wilson was under the influence of alcohol before and during the flight, elevating the risk to both himself and those on the ground. It was also noted that he had conducted the flight below the mandated safety limit of 1,000 feet over built-up areas.
Witnesses revealed that Wilson had been celebrating his farewell with friends at multiple locations in Cairns before the incident. After returning to his apartment around 11 pm, he drove to the Nautilus Aviation helicopter hangar at approximately 1 am. CCTV footage captured the helicopter taking off shortly after 1:30 am, only to fly for less than 20 minutes before the crash occurred.
The final images recorded showed the helicopter pitching up abruptly before it plunged into the hotel’s roof. Debris, including rotor blade fragments, was found scattered across hotel rooms and the surrounding area. Fortunately, while two elderly guests required treatment for smoke inhalation, no serious injuries were reported.
Mitchell also pointed out that Wilson did not have the required qualifications to operate the helicopter at night. “While it’s a tragedy that this young man lost his life, we also recognize the significant risk posed to others in the Cairns area, which underscores our commitment to thoroughly investigate this incident,” he remarked. “This is a highly unusual situation for the ATSB to be examining.”
Nautilus Aviation, Wilson’s employer, previously confirmed that he accessed the helicopter without permission following a farewell party that the company had not organized. They noted that while Wilson held a New Zealand pilot’s license, he had never flown in Australia and wasn’t authorized to operate a Nautilus Aviation helicopter, as he had only been employed in a ground crew role for four months.
