The pilot took cocaine in the days before the accident that killed “Outback Wrangler” star Chris Wilson, and likely failed to refuel as planned, investigators said.
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 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.
