An Australian crocodile egg hunter was killed after the helicopter he was dangling from ran out of fuel mid-flight, accident investigators said this week.
The pilot of the Robinson R44 helicopter took cocaine in the days before the February 2022 accident and was likely unable to refuel as planned during the Northern Territory excursion, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in its final report.
Crocodile egg collector Chris Wilson, known from the television series “Outback Wrangler,” was attached to the helicopter on a 30-meter-long line at the time of the disaster, it said.
When fuel ran out and the helicopter crashed, “the pilot released the egg collector above a likely survivable altitude, fatally injuring him,” the safety agency said.
Chris Wilson, star of the TV series “Outback Wrangler”, died after the helicopter he was dangling from ran out of fuel mid-flight, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said. Australian Road Safety Bureau
Shortly afterwards, the fatally injured egg collector was found on the ground, still wearing a harness and leash, which had been separated from the aircraft, it said.
The pilot was lying next to the helicopter with “serious injuries”.
Investigators said the pilot did not notice the falling fuel until the tank was empty.
They found that “pilot cocaine exposure in recent days increased the likelihood of fatigue, depression, and inattention, but there was insufficient evidence to determine whether these effects occurred.”
Three people have now been charged in connection with the incident, including pilot and Netflix star Matt Wright, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Investigators also found that the operator did not use its safety management system to identify and manage operational hazards.
“As a result, the operator has to take into account the risks associated with carrying out work with human slingshots, such as: “The operator has a history of non-compliance with regulatory requirements, maintenance standards and accurate record-keeping.”
In the Northern Territory, hunters can collect wild crocodile eggs to manage stocks and sell them to farms that use the reptiles for their leather.
“Ultimately, this tragic accident demonstrates how the actions and decisions of pilots, operators and regulators can have a significant impact on aviation safety,” Mitchell said.