UPDATED 1545: The ATSB has commenced a transport safety investigation into Monday morning’s helicopter accident in Cairns.
At about 0154, the Robinson R44 helicopter collided with a hotel building, and the sole occupant of the helicopter was fatally injured. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and fire.
A team of three transport safety investigators from the ATSB’s Brisbane office, with experience in aircraft operations and maintenance, arrived in Cairns on late Monday morning to commence the evidence collection phase of the investigation.
The ATSB asks anyone who may have witnessed or has photos or video footage of the aircraft during any phase of the flight (up to the impact), or heard the helicopter prior to the impact, to make contact via the witness form on our website at their earliest opportunity.
The ATSB notes the flight has been described as ‘unauthorised’. The ATSB conducts ‘no blame’ transport safety investigations, and does not investigate for the purposes of taking administrative, regulatory or criminal action.
Over the coming days we will seek to determine if this accident was a transport safety matter.
If the accident is determined not to be a transport safety matter the ATSB may elect to discontinue its investigation, on the basis that an ATSB investigation would be unlikely to determine new safety learnings and issues, and leave further investigation efforts to the police and other appropriate agencies.
If at any time during the course of the investigation we identify a critical safety issue, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so that appropriate safety action can be taken.