Brisbane, Australia CNN —A pilot who died when he crashed a helicopter into a hotel in Australia had “significant blood alcohol content” during the unauthorized flight, according to an official report into the incident.
The pilot had been out with friends at various venues around Cairns and was seen consuming alcohol, according to witnesses and security camera footage, the report said.
Cameras also caught the moment he positioned one of Nautilus Aviation’s Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters onto a helipad at Cairns Airport at around 1:30 a.m. local time.
The report found they wouldn’t have seen a helicopter that was operating at night with no lights.
It found the helicopter wasn’t upright when it hit the hotel, but there was also no sign of mechanical failure.
Persons:
Australia CNN —, wasn’t, ”, Veronica Knight, Nautilus Aviation’s Robinson
Organizations:
Australia CNN, Hilton Hotel, Nautilus Aviation, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, ” Police, Nautilus, Cairns Airport, Australian Federal Police
Locations:
Brisbane, Australia, Cairns, Far North Queensland