- Blake Wilson was the pilot of ‘stolen’ chopper
- Helicopter crashed into roof of Cairns hotel
- Pilot died at the scene with two hospitalised
- Do you know more? Email Max.Aitchison@mailonline.com
The helicopter pilot who crashed a stolen aircraft into a waterfront hotel was a young Kiwi who had only recently moved to Australia to begin a ‘new adventure’.
Daily Mail Australia understands that New Zealander Blake Wilson was piloting a Robinson 44 helicopter when it crashed into the roof the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns, Far North, at 1.50am on Monday.
The ‘unauthorised’, four-minute journey took off from the Nautilus hangar at Cairns Airport and flew to the CBD across the city’s Esplanade – a no-fly-zone.
Mr Wilson worked for Nautilus Aviation in a ground crew position.
‘Although the employee held a New Zealand CPL(H) pilot’s licence, they have never flown in Australia or for Nautilus Aviation and were not authorised to fly Nautilus Aviation helicopters,’ the company said in a statement.
The crash left two guests needing hospital treatment and prompted a mass evacuation of the hotel in the early hours of Monday morning.
Mr Wilson gained his private pilots licence with Christchurch Helicopters in April 2022.
The young pilot is originally from Palmerston North on New Zealand’s North Island and moved to Christchurch in March 2021.
Daily Mail Australia understands that Mr Wilson had been due to start work as a refueller on Horn Island at the top end of Australia on Monday.
Mr Wilson farewell dinner with Nautilus colleagues on Sunday night before later going to the airport to embark on the fatal ‘unauthorised’ flight.
‘We can confirm this event did occur and was a privately organised send-off for the individual involved in Monday morning’s incident, who was recently promoted to a ground crew position at another one of our bases,’ the company said.
‘This was not a work event and was coordinated by friends.’
New Zealander Blake Wilson (pictured right) was piloting a Robinson 44 helicopter when it crashed into the roof the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns, Far North, at 1.50am on Monday
Mr Wilson gained his private pilots licence with Christchurch Helicopters in April 2022 and became a fully qualified commercial pilot with the company in September
Emergency services were called to the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton in Cairns after a helicopter crashed into the roof of the building, sparking a massive blaze
The man, who s believed to have been an employee of Nautilus Aviation, stole a helicopter from the company’s hangar and flew it for four minutes before crashing into the hotel
The Robinson 44 was only in the air for four minutes before it crashed, with witnesses claiming the chopper was flying at a high speed and low to the ground.
The crash caused a massive fire on the roof of the hotel and a mass evacuation of up to 400 guests and staff during the early hours of Monday.
An 83-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition after they were assessed by paramedics.
Debris from the helicopter was found up to 80 metres from where it crashed, with two of its rotor blades dislodging.
One of the blades was found in the hotel pool, located on the bottom floor, while the second landed on the Cairns Esplanade opposite the hotel.
Police have confirmed the pilot was the sole occupant of the helicopter and was declared dead at the scene.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has launched an investigation, which will focus on the sequence of events that led to the crash.
