Helicopter crashes into roof of hotel in Cairns, Australia

[flashcrash]

Witness accounts suggest the helicopter may have lost rotor blades prior to the crash. However the discovery of blades on the esplanade next to the hotel may be the result of the impact itself. Large fireball, 400 people evacuated, sadly the pilot is a fatality.

Pilot dead as helicopter crashes into Cairns hotel, bursts into flames | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

Helicopter pilot dead after crashing into Australian hotel (bbc.com)

[TRTPUwU]

Witness accounts suggest the helicopter may have lost rotor blades prior to the crash. However the discovery of blades on the esplanade next to the hotel may be the result of the impact itself. Large fireball, 400 people evacuated, sadly the pilot is a fatality.

Pilot dead as helicopter crashes into Cairns hotel, bursts into flames | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

Helicopter pilot dead after crashing into Australian hotel (bbc.com)

Never knew that room delivery was a job for helicopters.
Any ideas why this happened?

[VH-ROB]

Local reports suggest that it was an unauthorised flight and there was no flight plan lodged. The chopper was seen flying erratically prior to crashing.

[Evan]

The aircraft was a Robinson R44. It was piloted by a 20-something ground crew with a New Zealand helicopter pilot license who had been attending his own going-off party, so intoxication might be part of this. The helicopter was taken from a hanger without authorization, meaning without dispatch, meaning it may not have been flightworthy at that moment. The weather was reported to be raining at the time. So lots to choose from here, and nothing to be learned, except the folly of hubris and hold-my-beer airmanship.

[3WE]

…the folly of hubris and hold-my-beer airmanship.

Pilots bad.

[Evan]

Pilots bad.

Bad doesn't begin to describe it.

[flashcrash]

Pilots bad.

If this was genuinely a 20-year old ground crew member unlicensed to fly in Australia then I think we can confidently say this particular pilot was bad. Especially if he was flying while inebriated. However, I'm taking care not to assume he was just because he was at a party a couple of hours before - until toxicology tests confirm one way or the other. He endangered the lives of hundreds of innocent people and caused what are described as serious injuries to two unfortunate elderly hotel guests. That's definitely "bad" in my book. One might also apply the same moniker to whoever was responsible for the security of that particular R44.