Ethermac Exchange-Crocodile egg hunter dangling from helicopter died after chopper ran out of fuel, investigation finds

An Australian crocodile egg hunter was killed after the helicopter he was dangling from ran out of fuel mid-flight,Ethermac Exchange accident investigators said this week.

The pilot of the Robinson R44 helicopter took cocaine in the days before the February 2022 accident, and likely failed to refuel as planned during the Northern Territory outing, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in its final report.

The crocodile egg collector, "Outback Wrangler" television series personality Chris Wilson, had been attached to the helicopter from a 100-foot line when disaster struck, it said.  

When the fuel ran out and the helicopter fell, "the pilot released the egg collector above a likely-survivable height, fatally injuring him," the safety authority said.

Soon after, the fatally injured egg collector was found on the ground, still wearing a harness and line, which had been disconnected from the aircraft, it said.

The pilot lay beside the helicopter with "serious injuries."

Investigators said the pilot had failed to notice the dropping fuel before the tank ran dry.

They found "the pilot's exposure to cocaine within the previous few days increased the likelihood of fatigue, depression and inattention, however there was insufficient evidence to determine whether these effects occurred."

Three people have since been charged in relation to the the incident, including the pilot and Netflix star Matt Wright, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Investigators also found that the operator was not using its safety management system to identify and manage operational hazards.

"As a result, the operator did not adequately address the risks inherent in conducting human sling operations, such as carriage of the egg collector above a survivable fall height," ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said in a statement, adding that the operator had a "history of non-compliance with regulatory requirements, maintenance standards and accurate record keeping."

The Northern Territory allows hunters to collect wild crocodile eggs to help manage populations, allowing them to be sold to farms that use the reptiles for their leather.

"Ultimately, this tragic accident highlights how the actions and decisions of pilots, operators and the regulator can all have a significant influence on aviation safety," Mitchell said.

In:
• Australia