The only air traffic controller on duty at Cairns airport when a stolen helicopter flew into a luxury hotel was reportedly reclining in a seat and missed the entire incident.
Last week, Daily Mail Australia reported that 23-year-old New Zealander Blake Wilson was piloting a Robinson 44 helicopter when it crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns, Far North Queensland, at 1.50am on Monday.
The ‘unauthorised’, four-minute aircraft took off from the Nautilus Aviation hangar at Cairns airport shortly after 1.45am and made several passes over the city’s mudflats and Esplanade, where flying is prohibited.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying dangerously low before it crashed into the roof of the hotel and burst into flames.
Miraculously, only Mr Wilson was killed. Two elderly guests were treated in hospital for smoke inhalation, while almost 400 people had to be evacuated in the middle of the night.
An investigation by 7News has now revealed that the only air traffic controller on duty that night was taking a break in a recliner during Wilson’s fatal flight.
An internal Airservices Australia document obtained by the network shows that Cairns Tower only discovered the incident when contacted by police later.
But the company insisted the controller “was not sleeping during this short break” and was paying attention to audio signals he heard on the radio between 1:42 and 1:51 a.m.
Last week, Daily Mail Australia revealed that 23-year-old New Zealander Blake Wilson (pictured) was piloting a Robinson 44 helicopter when it crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns, Far North Queensland, at 1.50am on Monday.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying dangerously low before it crashed into the roof of the hotel and burst into flames (pictured: investigators inspect the damage)
The last scheduled flight landed at Cairns Airport at 00:38, approximately an hour before Mr Wilson departed.
The next flight wasn’t due to leave for another five hours.
“The controller reported using a recliner to slow himself down, which limited visibility at the airport,” the document said.
At 01:42 the air traffic controller ‘heard a click on the radio’ and stood up, but ‘saw nothing and then sat back down’.
Five minutes later, the helicopter was displayed on the tower’s INTAS (Integrated Tower Automation Suite) screen, but the controller did not see it.
The ‘unauthorised’, four-minute flight took off from the Nautilus Aviation hangar at Cairns Airport shortly after 1.45am and made several erratic circles over the mudflats and the city’s no-fly zone Esplanade (pictured).
At 01:51 the air traffic controller heard a longer click but ‘saw nothing on the INTAS screen’.
A minute later, at 1:52 a.m., the helicopter disappeared from the screen, the report said.
Police called Cairns Tower between 1:53am and 2:06am with information about the crash.
The Brisbane regulator was not notified of the accident until 2.36am.
“The controller failed to detect the radar identification of ERH (the stolen helicopter) while it was in the air. This was probably because he was taking a break between scheduled flight movements, which is acceptable,” the report said.
An Airservices Australia spokesperson said the company was “conducting preliminary investigations into the events in Cairns on 12 August, as well as supporting investigations by relevant state and federal government agencies”.
“Out of respect for the ongoing processes and the members of our team, it is not appropriate for Airservices to speculate or make further statements at this time,” the spokesperson said.
Civil Air, the union for air traffic controllers, told 7NEWS it believes there should have been two or more air traffic controllers on duty.
“This will ensure that breaks are taken to alleviate fatigue and to address the (occupational health and safety) concerns associated with the night shift,” said Executive Secretary Peter McGuane.
‘Civil aviation uses this minimum workforce as an operational requirement.’
Queensland Police and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau are still investigating the accident.
Mr Wilson obtained his private pilot licence with Christchurch Helicopters in April 2022, but never worked as a pilot for Nautilus Aviation
Emergency services were called to the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton in Cairns after a helicopter crashed into the roof of the building, causing a massive fire
The publication revealed that Mr Wilson had been hired as a ground crew member with Nautilus Aviation in April this year and had recently been promoted to a tanker driver on Horn Island, in Far North Queensland, where he was due to start work on the Monday following the fatal accident.
Nautilus colleagues hosted a farewell dinner for Mr Wilson on Sunday evening, just hours before he embarked on his fatal flight.
Nautilus Aviation said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that the dinner “was not a work event and was coordinated by friends.”
“We can confirm that this incident did indeed occur and that it was a privately organized farewell for the individual involved in Monday morning’s incident. He was recently promoted to a ground crew position at one of our other bases,” the statement said.
Nautilus CEO Aaron Finn described the crash as “very unfortunate” and said investigators did not believe it was intentional.
Nautilus CEO Aaron Finn (pictured) described the crash as “very unfortunate” and suggested investigators did not believe it was intentional
“He was a great employee, we had no concerns about his welfare or his mental state,” Mr Finn said.
Nautilus Aviation confirmed that the pilot was “a current employee in a ground crew position, who joined the company approximately four months ago.”
“Although the employee held a New Zealand CPL(H) pilot licence, he had never flown in Australia or for Nautilus Aviation and was not authorised to operate Nautilus Aviation helicopters,” the statement said.
The company said it had completed interviews with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and Queensland Police and had “co-operated with full transparency and disclosure on all events leading up to and following the incident on Monday morning”.
It continued: ‘We extend our sincere condolences to the individual’s family and to all those affected by this tragedy. We also continue to support our employees during this very difficult time.’
The helicopter crashed into the roof of the luxury hotel in Cairns, with two of its propellers falling off on impact
Nautilus Aviation said it had completed interviews with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and Queensland Police and had “cooperated with full transparency and disclosure on all events leading up to and following the incident” (the company’s headquarters are pictured)
The young pilot is originally from Palmerston North on the North Island of New Zealand.
Mr Wilson obtained his private pilot licence with Christchurch Helicopters in April 2022.
The Robinson 44 was only in the air for four minutes before the aircraft crashed. Witnesses said the helicopter was flying at high speed and low to the ground.
The crash caused a massive fire on the hotel’s roof and a mass evacuation of some 400 guests and staff in the early morning hours.
An 83-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition after being assessed by paramedics.
Wreckage from the helicopter was found up to 80 meters from the crash site. Two of the rotor blades had become detached.
One of the knives was found in the hotel’s swimming pool on the ground floor, while the second ended up on the Cairns Esplanade opposite the hotel.
Police have confirmed that the pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter and was pronounced dead at the scene.