An interim report into last year’s fatal Sea World helicopter crash on the Gold Coast has found the pilot killed in the disaster tested positive for traces of cocaine.
Key points:
- An interim report finds there were traces of cocaine in Ashley Jenkinson’s system after he died in the crash
- It found it was unlikely to have affected his motor skills
- The ATSB’s final report on the crash is expected to be delivered mid-2024
Sea World Helicopters chief pilot Ashley Jenkinson, New South Wales woman Vanessa Tadros and UK couple Diane and Ron Hughes died when the two choppers crashed into each other as one took off and the other came into land.
Three passengers — including two children — were also critically injured.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has been investigating for the past year and has interviewed key witnesses, examined both helicopters and reviewed other evidence such as flight tracking information.
Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said a toxicology report for Mr Jenkinson had returned a positive result for low levels of cocaine metabolites.
“A forensic pharmacologist engaged by the ATSB has stated that the very low concentrations of these metabolites suggest exposure was not likely to have occurred in the 24 hours prior to the accident,” Mr Mitchell said.
“It is unlikely there would have been impairment of the pilot’s psychomotor skills.”
Seven occupants of the second helicopter, including its pilot Michael James, survived the crash.
Further investigations
The ATSB said the report was intended to update the industry and that it had not made any formal findings.
Mr Mitchell said the bureau would now look at any systemic factors.
“This was a tragic accident, and it is our responsibility to make findings and drive safety actions, which reduce the likelihood of a similar occurrence in the future,” Mr Mitchell said.
The report also noted several safety improvements by Sea World Helicopters including increased communication protocols and taken steps to make its helicopters more visible.
As a result of the investigation, the ATSB also issued a safety notice in September after finding seatbelts on passengers were not being fitted correctly on a regular basis.
“Our investigators identified a potentially common lack of understanding in the broader helicopter tourism community about how … life jackets should be worn in conjunction with seatbelts,” Mr Mitchell said.
“This correlated with a discovery that some passengers’ seatbelts were not fitted correctly in this accident, in part due to interference from their life jackets – although we have not attributed this to the tragic outcomes in this case.”
The ATSB said it expected to finalise its report in the third quarter of 2024.