Tweet Facebook Mail The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into a hotel in Cairns had been celebrating a promotion with friends earlier that same night, 9News understands. The Robinson R44, owned by Nautilus Aviation, speared into the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel on the intersection of The Esplanade and Florence Street about 2am yesterday. Pilot Blake Wilson was killed while hundreds of guests evacuated the building.
READ MORE: Jimmy Fallons cheeky tribute to viral Australian breakdancer Raygun The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into a hotel in Cairns had been celebrating a promotion with friends earlier that same night. (Supplied) He'd just been promoted and was enjoying celebratory drinks with colleagues just hours before the fatal crash. "He was recently promoted to a ground crew crew position at another one of our bases," Nautilus Aviation chief executive Aaron Finn said.
"We can confirm this event did occur and was privately organised, send up for the individual involved on Monday morning's incident. "This was not a work event and was coordinated by friends." READ MORE: Lamborghini Huracan, cash, jewellery seized in raid Pilot Blake Wilson was killed while hundreds of guests evacuated the building.
(Supplied) Those friends were some of the last to see Wilson alive. One whistleblower claimed he had been intoxicated and put to bed. But sometime later, he left his room, headed to the airport and got behind the controls of the helicopter, 'gaining un.