A pilot killed when his helicopter plunged into Lake Wanaka was sending text messages just minutes before the crash, an investigation has found.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission today released its report into the death of Morgan Saxton, 31, who was killed while flying his Robinson R22 from Haast to Wanaka on November 1, 2008.
There were no witnesses to the crash, but telephone records showed that in the minutes leading up to the crash the pilot had been sending and receiving text messages.
Parts of the helicopter were found floating on the surface. The pilot's body and much of the wreckage were recovered from the lake bed, but the engine was not recovered.
Damage to the helicopter's mast, called a "mast bump", suggested the helicopter had hit turbulence, the report said.
Anecdotes said the pilot had a preference for flying fast and if he had been preoccupied with his cellphone he may not have had time to react properly.
The main rotor had struck the cabin and almost certainly caused the pilot's death and the wreckage indicated the helicopter entered the water in a nearly vertical dive at high speed.
The commission has previously reported on crashes where cellphones may have contributed and it made no new safety recommendations.
Mr Saxton, along with his father David, were found guilty in 2007 of the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of pounamu from South Westland's Cascade Plateau.
Morgan Saxton was sentenced to two years and six months prison. David Saxton was sentenced to two years and nine months' imprisonment, although that was later reduced to home detention on appeal.
They were also required to pay reparations of $300,000.
NZPA
source: newshub archive
