A young employee of a helicopter company tragically lost his life after stealing a helicopter and crashing it into an Australian hotel, following a night of heavy drinking to celebrate a promotion. Blake Wilson, 23, had been celebrating his new position at Nautilus Aviation in Cairns, where he had been employed as a ground crew member for the past four months.
Wilson, who held a pilot’s license from New Zealand but was not authorized to fly in Australia, reportedly became so intoxicated during the celebration that his colleagues had to assist him to bed. However, later in the night, he managed to gain unauthorized access to a hangar and took an R44 Robinson helicopter without permission.
The young man then flew the stolen helicopter over a restricted airspace in the central business district before crashing into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday. The impact of the crash shattered several windows and resulted in Wilson’s death.
The incident also led to the hospitalization of two hotel guests, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s, who suffered from smoke inhalation. The hotel was evacuated as a result of the crash.
Nautilus Aviation CEO Aaron Finn confirmed that Wilson’s colleagues had gathered for a private dinner and drinks on Sunday night to celebrate his promotion. Finn emphasized that the gathering was not a company event but was organized by friends.
In response to the incident, Cairns Airport stated that an initial review showed no compromise of security. CEO Richard Barker expressed his condolences to those affected by the tragic event and reassured the community that the airport’s federally approved, multi-layered transport security program remained intact.