An experienced pilot has died after his helicopter crashed during a routine mustering operation on a remote cattle station.
The Robinson R22 Helicopter crashed on the 520,000 hectare Limbunya cattle station, about 650km south west of Katherine in the Northern Territory, at 12:20pm on Tuesday.
The pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter at the time of the crash.
A ‘highly experienced’ pilot has died after his helicopter crashed while performing an aerial cattle muster at the rural Limbunya cattle station in the Northern Territory (pictured)
Northern Territory Police confirmed in a statement they are ‘investigating a helicopter crash in the Victoria River Region near the Western Australia border’.
Top End Mustering, who provide helicopters and pilots to cattle stations for aerial mustering, issued a statement on Tuesday night confirming the pilot’s death.
‘It is with great sadness that Top End Mustering acknowledges the tragic helicopter accident that today took the life of a highly experienced pilot during a routine mustering operation on Limbunya Station,’ the statement read.
‘First and foremost, we wish to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the pilot involved, as well as our own team who are devastated by this loss.
‘The safety of our employees and clients is always our highest priority and we are working closely with relevant authorities in their investigation process.
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‘Our focus is on understanding what has occurred and continuing to support the family, friends and colleagues of the pilot.’
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) spokesperson said they have been notified of the accident.
‘(The ATSB) is currently gathering further information to inform a decision on whether to investigate,’ the spokesperson said.
The pilot was the sole occupant of the Robinson R22 helicopter (pictured, stock image), with NT Police investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash
A helicopter of the same make and model was at the centre of a seperate aerial mustering crash just south of Ramingining, in the Northern Territory, in November of last year.
The 47-year-old pilot and sole occupant of the Robinson R22 was killed after it crashed into terrain.
The crash warranted investigators for the ATSB to be deployed from Canberra and Perth to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Preliminary reports from the ATSB suggest the aircraft crashed into terrain and did not break up in flight or suffer an engine outage.
