Pilot Dies in Cairns Helicopter Crash

A recent investigation has revealed that the sole air traffic controller on duty at Cairns Airport during a helicopter crash was reclining in a chair and missed the incident entirely. The crash occurred at 1:50 AM when 23-year-old Blake Wilson piloted a stolen Robinson 44 helicopter, which collided with the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel. While the controller was reportedly on a break, they maintained awareness of audio cues from the radio, although they did not see the helicopter on their screen. The last scheduled flight had landed at 12:38 AM, and the rogue helicopter appeared on the tower’s Integrated Tower Automation Suite (INTAS) screen shortly after takeoff. However, the controller did not notice it, and the helicopter disappeared from the screen just a minute after the crash. Wilson had recently secured a ground crew position with Nautilus Aviation and was set to begin a new role on Horn Island the following Monday, just hours after a farewell dinner held by colleagues. Nautilus Aviation confirmed that while Wilson held a New Zealand CPL(H) pilot's license, he had never flown in Australia or operated their helicopters. The company has cooperated with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and Queensland Police in their investigations, providing full transparency regarding the events leading up to the crash. Witnesses reported that the helicopter was flying at high speed and low altitude before the accident, with debris found in the hotel pool and on the nearby Esplanade.