Police have located a body believed to be that of a 77-year-old pilot following a helicopter crash in northwest NSW. The pilot had left the Gold Coast about 9am on Friday 13 March 2026, bound for Mudgee, but failed to arrive as scheduled. The man is yet to be formally identified.
The wreckage of the aircraft was located in dense bushland north of the Drake township just before 2pm on Saturday. Drake sits approximately three hours' drive southwest of Brisbane in the northern tablelands region of NSW. The aircraft involved was a Robinson R44 helicopter.
Authorities were alerted about 8pm on Friday evening when the helicopter failed to arrive at its intended destination. The initial search was suspended due to poor visibility and weather conditions. When the wreckage was eventually discovered, emergency crews faced difficult terrain and limited access to the remote location.
A recovery operation is currently underway with the assistance of PolAir and Police Rescue. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced and is being led by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
The ATSB will examine all available evidence, including weather conditions at the time of departure and along the flight route, the condition of the aircraft, and any other factors that may have contributed to the loss of the helicopter. The investigation is expected to take several weeks or months, depending on the complexity of findings at the crash site.