The pilot involved in a helicopter crash that killed two US newlyweds off north Queensland last month saw a warning sign flash and felt a “thud” before the aircraft hit the water, a preliminary report has found.
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The Hawaiian couple, Peter Hensel, 79, and wife Sue, 65, were killed after the Eurocopter EC120 Colibri crashed into water near a pontoon at Hardy Reef, a popular tourist spot in the Whitsunday Islands, on the afternoon of March 21.
The pair, who had travelled to Queensland on their dream honeymoon after marrying in December, were pulled from the wreckage by the pilot, 35, and Mrs Hensel’s 33-year-old daughter and her partner, 34, who managed to swim to safety following the impact.
According to a preliminary report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Wednesday, the family group had been heading out to Reefworld, a large pontoon used to view aquatic life and as a base for water sports in the area.
While approaching the Hardy Reef site, the pilot said he noticed a warning sign illuminate and conducted a “go-around”, a standard aircraft manoeuvre used by pilots to delay landing when pilots are not satisfied of safe landing.
At an altitude of 40 feet (12 metres) above the pontoon, the pilot recalled feeling a “thud” before the nose of the helicopter veered sharply left, according to the report.
He could not regain control before the aircraft collided with the water and rolled to its right, before it sank metres from the pontoon.
Reefworld staff provided first aid and tried to resuscitate the couple pulled from the helicopter until emergency services arrived, but the Mr and Mrs Hensel died at the scene.
The daughter and her partner suffered minor injuries while the pilot was uninjured.
The helicopter’s operating company, Whitsunday Air Services, which trades as Hamilton Island Air, issued a statement at the time of the crash offering their condolences to the families of those involved.
About a week after the crash, police used sonar technology to identify the wreckage location and found a man-made object about 1.2 kilometres north-west of the landing pontoon.
The ATSB report outlined officers would consider recovering the wreckage as the investigation continues.
Representatives from the United States National Transportation Safety Board, the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety and their advisor Airbus Helicopters were appointed to participate in the investigation.
