Pilot's Body Found After Helicopter Crash in Remote NSW Bushland
The body of a man, believed to be the 77-year-old pilot and sole occupant, has been located following a helicopter crash in remote bushland in north-east New South Wales. The wreckage of the Robinson R44 helicopter was found on Saturday, two days after it departed the Gold Coast en route to Mudgee but failed to arrive at its destination. A recovery operation is currently underway, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has commenced an investigation into the incident.
Incident Timeline
The Robinson R44 helicopter departed the Gold Coast at approximately 9:00 AM on Friday, intending to reach Mudgee. Authorities were alerted at 8:00 PM that evening after the aircraft did not arrive as scheduled. This initiated a multi-agency search operation involving SES crews, a rescue helicopter, police, and VRA Rescue crews, conducting both air and ground operations.
Wreckage and Body Discovery
The wreckage was located around 2:00 PM on Saturday in dense bushland north of Drake, within the Tenterfield area of New South Wales. The site is approximately 55 kilometres north of Tenterfield, near the Cataract National Park area in Boorook, and is situated about three hours' drive south-west from Brisbane.
Upon discovery of the helicopter, the pilot was not found within the aircraft. The search was temporarily called off overnight due to challenging conditions and resumed the following morning.
Police located a body, believed to be that of the 77-year-old pilot, at approximately 1:00 PM on Sunday, nearly 24 hours after the helicopter's discovery. Formal identification of the body is pending.
A recovery operation is now in progress, supported by PolAir and Police Rescue.
Investigation Underway
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has deployed safety investigators from Brisbane and Canberra to examine the crash site. Their investigation will include a site survey, detailed examination of the wreckage, and retrieval of components for further analysis at the ATSB's facilities in Canberra.
Investigators also plan to conduct interviews with involved parties and witnesses, obtain pilot and aircraft maintenance records, and collect flight tracking and weather data to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash.