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A pilot “didn’t recall” his fellow pilot making a regular taxiing name to say he was taking off earlier than their helicopters collided and crashed, killing 4 folks and injuring 9 others on the Gold Coast.
Air crash investigators say pilot Michael James advised them he noticed 5 passengers boarding the second helicopter at a helipad close to Sea World as he was coming in to land his plane with six passengers at one other helipad close by on January 2.
The Australian Transport Security Bureau says the pilot thought the second helicopter would move behind his plane and he doesn’t bear in mind the opposite pilot radioing him to say he was taking off.
“They didn’t recall the pilot of XKQ making a regular “taxiing” name saying their intention to depart,” the ATSB’s preliminary report into the crash mentioned.
A 3rd helicopter pilot within the space on the time recalled listening to Mr James’ inbound name, however didn’t recall listening to a taxi name from the opposite pilot taking off.
A fourth helicopter pilot couldn’t recall listening to calls from both of the 2 pilots concerned within the crash earlier than their plane collided.
Nevertheless, ATSB commissioner Angus Mitchell mentioned that proof “didn’t essentially imply {that a} taxiing name was not made” by the pilot taking off and investigators would probe the radio calls within the lead-up to the crash.
The report mentioned Mr James additionally advised the ATSB he didn’t see the second helicopter take off from the helipad.
“Whereas video footage taken by passengers in each helicopters on cell phones contained photos of the opposite helicopter, this doesn’t imply that the opposite helicopter was seen to both pilot,” Mr Mitchell mentioned.
“The investigation will look carefully on the points each pilots confronted in seeing the opposite helicopter.”
4 folks died and 9 folks have been injured, together with three critically, when the 2 plane collided mid-air and crashed into the sandbar.
Pilot Ashley Jenkinson, 40, and his passengers together with British couple Ron and Diane Hughes, 65 and 57, and Sydney mom Vanessa Tadros, 36, have been among the many lifeless.
Ms Tadros’ son Nicholas, 10, has been present process procedures in hospital because the accident, and final week had his leg amputated from the knee down.
Victorian mom Winnie de Silva, 33, and her nine-year-old son Leon are recovering from accidents sustained within the crash.
The pilot of the second chopper, Mr James, managed to land his plane safely, however he and two of his passengers have been injured by flying glass when its windshield shattered.
The injured have been New Zealand ladies Elmarie Steenberg and Marle Swart, who had been on vacation with their husbands Riaan Steenberg and Edward Swart.
The complete ATSB report into the collision by the Air Transport Security Bureau will not be anticipated till at the least September 2024.
– AAP
