23-year-old unauthorized NZ pilot Blake Wilson crashed a helicopter into a Cairns hotel, causing 400 guest evacuations and his own death.

23-year-old Blake Wilson, a New Zealand pilot with a license but not authorized to fly in Australia, crashed a helicopter into a Cairns hotel, causing the evacuation of around 400 guests and resulting in his own death. Wilson had been an employee at Nautilus Aviation for four months and was not authorized to use the company's helicopters. The helicopter crashed into the roof of a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel after Wilson allegedly took it from Nautilus Aviation's hangar without permission. Both the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Queensland Police Service are investigating the unauthorized flight.

August 13, 2024
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