Robinson R44 II crash near Cairns, Australia

A Robinson R44 II helicopter owned by Nautilus Aviation was taken on an unauthorised flight from Cairns Airport at approximately 1:48 a.m. by 23-year-old ground crew member Blake Wilson of New Zealand, who held a NZ pilot licence but was not authorised to fly in Australia. Wilson had attended a farewell party celebrating a promotion earlier that evening. The helicopter flew into the Cairns CBD no-fly zone and crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, causing a fiery explosion. Wilson was killed. Approximately 400 hotel guests were evacuated. Two guests in a top-floor room were hospitalised for smoke inhalation and later discharged. Rotor blades separated on impact, with one landing in the hotel pool.