The ATSB has found that pilot incapacitation probably contributed to the fatal crash of a Robinson R44 in Western Australia in 2011.
The R44 with two people on board was involved with low-level geophysical survey 150 km south of Newman when it impacted the ground.
According to the ATSB report, the pilot slumped forward in the seat and the other crewman could not rouse the pilot before the helicopter contacted the ground hard. The crewman and pilot were seriously injured, and the pilot died before medical help could arrive.
The report findings state that "following the pilot’s probable incapacitation during flight, the helicopter’s descent could not be arrested before impacting terrain. It was likely that the incapacitation was of a similar nature to other previous unconsciousness events reported experienced by the pilot while not flying."
The full report is available on the ATSB website here.