A pilot who died after crashing a helicopter into a hotel roof in Cairns, Queensland, had “misappropriated” the aircraft following a farewell party at the aviation company where he worked. Nautilus Aviation confirmed that the individual, identified by police as 23-year-old Blake Wilson from Smithfield, Cairns, was employed as a ground crew member for four months.

Despite holding a New Zealand pilot’s license, Mr. Wilson had not flown in Australia and was not authorized to operate a Nautilus Aviation helicopter. The company revealed that he had recently been promoted to a ground-crew position at another base, and the farewell party held on Sunday night was privately organized by his colleagues.

The unauthorized flight occurred early on Monday morning when Mr. Wilson took off from the Nautilus Aviation hangar at Cairns airport. The helicopter tragically crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Cairns’ CBD around 2 am, resulting in Mr. Wilson’s death. The impact led to the evacuation of hundreds of hotel guests, with two elderly individuals hospitalized for smoke inhalation but later released.

Nautilus Aviation has cooperated fully with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and police in their investigation, expressing their condolences to Mr. Wilson’s family and all affected by the tragedy. They have requested privacy for their employees during this challenging time.

The incident, described as “unsettling” by authorities, is believed to be a one-off, and investigators are working to uncover more details. Recorded data from the helicopter has been sent for analysis, and experts suggest that night flying may have contributed to the crash.

Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell of the ATSB emphasized that the situation could have been far worse, highlighting the miraculous survival of the hotel guests. The crash dislodged the helicopter’s propellers, one of which landed on the street outside, and the other in the hotel pool, still aflame.

Authorities continue to investigate how the helicopter was flown out of Cairns airport without authorization and the factors leading to the crash.