Deadly helicopter crash ‘may have been caused by pilot not hearing radio’
A horror mid-air crash between two helicopters that killed British tourists may have been caused by the pilot not hearing his radio.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has since released a report documenting the crash in Gold Coast, Australia, which left Diane and Ron Hughes dead.
It is only now that the potential causes of the tragedy from January 2 in the state of Queensland, have been officially released.
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A helicopter pilot and three passengers, including 57-year-old Diane and 65-year-old Ron, as well as a 36-year-old, were killed in the devastating 130ft mid-air collision.
An ATSB report has since confirmed it will look into whether radio calls were made and how each helicopter pilot failed to see the other vehicle.
Two Eurocopter EC130 helicopters had collided on their registered five-minute scenic flights of Gold Coast, coming to a head when they both attempted to land.
One chopper carrying five passengers and a pilot collided with a second which had six passengers and a pilot onboard, EveningStandard reported.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said: "The ATSB has released this preliminary report to detail the circumstances of this tragic accident as we currently understand them, but it is important to stress that we are yet to make findings.
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"The investigation will look closely at the issues both pilots faced in seeing the other helicopter.
"We have already generated a 3D model of the view from the pilot's seat from an exemplar EC130 helicopter which we will use as part of a detailed visibility study to help the investigation determine the impediments both pilots faced in sighting the other helicopter.
"Understanding the helicopter would only get closer, at least one passenger attempted verbal guidance to the pilot. As the verbal guidance did not work, and anticipating a potential collision, one passenger physically alerted the pilot."
Mr Mitchell confirmed that investigations were ongoing and would also look beyond that of radio calls and visibility issues.
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