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Pilot’s Body Found Days After Fatal Helicopter Crash – BrewerWood News

The body of a helicopter pilot has been found two days after he lost contact with air traffic control in the Northern Territory of Australia.

On Thursday, December 7th, 2023, the 59-year-old pilot, Mike Harding from Gorrie Station, had not been heard from after informing a station on the Sturt Plateau, about 80km south of Mataranka, about his intention to land.

His body and the wreckage of his Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter (tail number VH-DLD) was found about 5pm on Saturday in the Sturt Plateau area, following a search operation by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre (JRCC). According to multiple sources, it is believed his helicopter crashed late on Thursday night.

The AMSA said it had “tasked the Challenger Rescue Aircrafts and multiple helicopters to conduct the search, from Thursday night until Saturday afternoon”.

“AMSA expresses condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” a spokesperson said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) will be conducting an investigation.

Northern Territory Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Mr. Harding and his family have owned and managed the nearby Gorrie Station since 1988, and in 2022 he was named the Roper Gulf Council’s citizen of the year.

Mayor of the Roper Gulf Regional Council, Tony Jack, said Mr. Harding’s family was “well-known in the Katherine region, and in particular Mataranka and the pastoral industry”.

“They work hard in the industry, big families that are having a go, living for family and the industry,” Mr. Jack said.

“I’m lost for words to tell you the truth. We send our thoughts and prayers to the family at this present time.”

The highly skilled attorneys at the BrewerWood law firm have more than 50 years of combined experience representing victims of helicopter and airplane accidents in the USA and globally. Oftentimes, the cause of an aircraft crash is not clear even after government investigators complete their investigation. And, in many instances, investigators are quick to blame a crash on pilot error or weather conditions when, in fact, some other cause resulted in the crash. Time and time again, the attorneys at BrewerWood have uncovered that the true cause of an aviation crash was a faulty part, a faulty system, or faulty design of the aircraft which can mean that a product manufacturer can be held responsible for the crash. BrewerWood fully investigates each and every aviation crash with a team of the top aerospace and aviation experts independent of the findings by government investigators. It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident before critical evidence is lost or memories fade. If you or a family member has been a victim of an aircraft accident, please contact the attorneys at BrewerWood for a free consultation.

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Article Sources:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-10/missing-helicopter-pilot-confirmed-dead-after-nt-search/103210916

https://7news.com.au/news/body-of-northern-territory-pilot-found-on-the-sturt-plateau-days-after-helicopter-went-missing-c-12860269

https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/8454294/pilots-body-found-after-fatal-helicopter-crash/

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/348735