Helicopter plunged 30m down mountain after blades struck rockface
An investigation into a fatal helicopter crash in New Zealand's Mt Aspiring National Park found that the rotor blades struck a rockface while the pilot was attempting to retrieve a hunted animal. The crash resulted in the deaths of the pilot and a hunting guide.
Why it matters
The report highlights safety risks in commercial mountain operations and provides closure regarding the cause of a tragic aviation accident.
A helicopter that crashed killing two people in Mt Aspiring National Park plunged 30m down a mountain after its rotor blades struck the rockface, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission has found. Pilot Tim Brown and guide Sean Roach <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/05/17/two-dead-after-helicopter-crash-at-mt-aspiring-national-park/">died in the crash</a> on May 17. The Airbus AS350-B3 helicopter belonged to The Alpine Group, which is owned by the Wallis family. The company said at the time both were "highly experienced and valued members of a close-knit team". It was one of two choppers being chartered for a hunting trip that day, with the second helicopter carrying a guide and four passengers. In interim findings released by the commission on Thursday, the lead helicopter was hovering by a rocky ledge as the pilot and hunting guide tried to recover a shot mountain goat or chamois.
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