ATSB releases report into Sea World helicopter crash

Findings from the investigation into the deadly mid-air collision of two helicopters above the Gold Coast Broadwater by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says the pilot of the helicopter coming into land did not hear a call over the radio by the pilot taking off.

Released yesterday, the report notes that it does not mean that the taxi call was not made prior to the two helicopters operated by Sea World Helicopters colliding in mid-air on 2nd January in an incident that resulted in four deaths and which saw a further six people suffer serious injuries.

The incident, which destroyed one helicopter was destroyed and severely damaged another that still managed to land, also saw three others sustained minor injuries.

Commenting on the findings, ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the helicopters were operating outside controlled airspace, flying below 1,500 feet (457 metres) and both following the same counter-clockwise flight route, advising that that "the two helicopters collided at an altitude of about 130 feet, 23 seconds into the departing helicopter's flight.”

The pilot of the returning helicopter told the ATSB investigation he had seen passengers being loaded into the departing helicopter for a scheduled five-minute flight on his return track and had seen its doors closing.

Mitchell said the pilot testified that he had not heard a taxi call from the departing pilot announcing his intention to take off, stating “the pilot of the returning helicopter recalled that their assessment was that the departing helicopter would pass behind them.

"And that they did not recall the pilot of that helicopter making a standard taxiing call.

"This does not necessarily mean that a taxiing call was not made."

Images captured simultaneously from each Sea World helicopter just before the collision.

The ATSB report says the helicopters collided at 1.56:05pm without the pilot of the returning helicopter ever seeing the departing helicopter taking off.

Because the flights were being operated outside controlled airspace neither helicopter was required to report to any external flight controller.

Instead, the pilots were communicating with each other on a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF).

Sea World Helicopters, a separate entity to the Village Roadshow owned theme park, was not required to equip its helicopters with what is known as an Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS), but both were fitted with one known as a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS).

Pilots reported, though, that the TCAS between the two helicopters was not fully integrated and had no visual information.

Mitchell went on to note that the policies, procedures and records of Sea World helicopters were being reviewed as part of the investigation, as was the regulatory surveillance of the operator.

At the time of the collision both helicopters were on scheduled five-minute flights - one returning and the other taking off. The air safety watchdog has revealed more about what led up to the disaster.

According to the report, two passengers on the inbound helicopter spotted the other taking off and at least one of them attempted to verbally alert the pilot.

When this did not work, the report noted that a passenger physically tried to get the pilots attention because they were concerned about a potential collision.

The pilot of the inbound helicopter remembered being alerted to the other aircraft by the passenger but said they did not see the other helicopter approaching.

A statement released by Sea World Helicopters, which remains closed, advised that it had seen the report and would "take the right amount of time and due care to review" what it says.

Sea World Helicopters Director, John Orr-Campbell explained “the release of the ATSB interim report is another reminder of the tragic loss of life suffered that day.

"All at Sea World Helicopters pay their deepest respect to Vanessa Tadros, Diane and Ron Hughes, our friend and late chief Sea World Helicopters pilot Ash Jenkinson, their families, and those who suffered physically and mentally in the accident.

"Our special thoughts go to Winnie De Silva and her son Leon as well Nicholas Tadros, who is still in hospital recovering from his horrific injuries, and his father Simon who has been by his side all along."

Images: A promotional picture Sea World Helicopters (top) and the five-minute scenic flight route and radio calls for Sea World helicopters joy flights at January 2023 (below, credit: ATSB).