A deadly flight in a stolen helicopter, which crashed into a luxury hotel on the Cairns Esplanade, happened right under the noses of local air traffic control. A 7NEWS investigation can reveal the single traffic controller on duty was taking a break on a recliner when Nautilus Aviation ground crew employee Blake Wilson took the Robinson 44 aircraft on an unauthorised flight just before 2am on August 12. There were no breaches of responsibility but the incident has raised questions about the staffing levels at 24/7 airfields such as Cairns Airport.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Wilson, 23, was killed when the helicopter crashed into the Double Tree by Hilton in Cairns CBD. He was the only person on board. Two people — a man, 83, and a female, 76, staying in the suite underneath the rooftop — were taken to Cairns hospital suffering from emotional distress, while hundreds of people had to be evacuated from the hotel.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland Police continue to investigate the crash. An internal Airservices document obtained by 7NEWS reveals the Cairns Tower was not in contact or aware of the helicopter’s movements until police called regarding the crash. The last scheduled flight had landed at Cairns Airport at 12.
38am, about one hour before the accident, and the next planned flight was approximately five hours away. “The controller reported using a recliner chair to self-break, which limited view of the airfield,” the do.