‘Massive explosion’ after early morning chopper flight
TIMELINE OF THE FATAL HELICOPTER CRASH:
MONDAY AUGUST 12:
– A Robinson R44 four-seat light helicopter leaves Nautilius Aviation at Cairns airport’s general aviation hanger in the early hours of the morning
– Eye witness sees the helicopter fly around Cairns CBD at speed before hitting the DoubleTree by Hilton roof in a “massive explosion”
– About 1.50am emergency services are called to the hotel
– About 3.30am police declare a Public Safety Preservation Act exclusion zone as hotel guests are evacuated. A man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s are taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and later released
– About 5.15am Queensland Ambulance Service rule it unsafe for emergency crews to enter the hotel to view the impact site due to fire. It’s revealed the helicopter propellers were dislodged on impact, with one landing on the street outside and the other in the hotel pool while still on fire
– About 9.15am police confirm the pilot – the helicopter’s sole occupant – died at the scene
– About 10am charter company Nautilus Aviation confirms it owns the helicopter but an “unauthorised” flight had occurred
– 1pm Police do not confirm whether the helicopter had been stolen but tell media it had been “moved” from Cairns airport’s general aviation hangar.
– About 6.20pm helicopter wreckage removed from Cairns hotel roof
TUESDAY AUGUST 13:
– About 6.50am Australian Transport Safety Bureau say initial information indicates the helicopter had been airborne for five minutes before the crash.
– The ATSB probe will focus on the crash and its cause while police investigate how the chopper was taken on an unauthorised flight
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