The helicopter pilot who crashed a stolen plane into a beachfront hotel was impaired by alcohol, an investigation has heard.
New Zealander Blake Wilson, 23, was piloting a Robinson 44 helicopter when it crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns, far north Queensland, at 1.50am on August 12.
The four-minute “unauthorized” trip took off from the Nautilus hangar at Cairns Airport shortly after 1.45am, completing several circuits through the mudflats and over the city esplanade, which is a no-fly zone.
Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying dangerously low before crashing into the hotel roof and bursting into flames.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report, released on Thursday morning, found Wilson had a “significant blood alcohol content” at the time of the crash.
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed Wilson had a farewell dinner with Nautilus Aviation colleagues because he was due to start work as a refueler on Horn Island.
“Prior to the accident, on the afternoon of August 11, the pilot had been socializing with friends at various locations in Cairns,” the ATSB report states.
“Witnesses reported and video recordings showed that the pilot had been consuming alcohol and that they returned to their apartment around 11:00 p.m.”
Daily Mail Australia previously revealed that New Zealander Blake Wilson (pictured), 23, was piloting a Robinson 44 helicopter when it crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns, Far North Queensland, at 1.50am on August 12.
The four-minute “unauthorized” trip took off from the Nautilus hangar at Cairns Airport shortly after 1.45am, completing several circuits through the mudflats and over the city esplanade, which is a no-fly zone (pictured: flight path).
CCTV footage later recorded Wilson driving away from his flat shortly after 1am in a company car.
Twenty minutes later it arrived at the Nautilus Aviation hangar at Cairns Airport, where it used ground wheels to move a Robinson-44 helicopter to the helipad.
A short time later it took off, flying towards Cairns city centre, adjusting its trajectory slightly to fly over their shared apartment.
He then walked around the Cairns wharf complex before returning to his apartment.
Flight altitude never exceeded 500 feet.
Surprisingly, none of the hotel guests were injured (pictured: damage to one of the rooms on the top floor)
“Two security cameras recorded very brief portions of the final portion of the flight,” the ATSB report states.
“These show the helicopter ascending and almost immediately descending abruptly before crashing into the roof of the hotel at around 1:51am.”
More to come.
