Two directors of Hewitt Cattle Australia have been charged by NT WorkSafe following a helicopter crash at Ambalindum Station in Central Australia that killed one employee and seriously injured another. The crash occurred in November 2018.
The directors face multiple breaches of the Northern Territory's workplace health and safety laws, with a maximum penalty of $400,000 each if found guilty. An Australian Transport and Safety Bureau investigation found the pilot had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.14 and the Robinson R22 helicopter was likely overloaded.
The pilot died in the crash, and the injured man was the company's 24-year-old head stockman. The ATSB concluded the likely cause was turbulence encountered while flying unnecessarily low, with insufficient height to recover.
NT WorkSafe senior director Bill Esteves said aerial mustering and low-level flying can be hazardous, and that intoxication, overloading, and poor weight distribution increase crash risk to extreme levels. He alleged the directors failed to demonstrate due diligence in workplace safety.
Hewitt Cattle Australia issued a statement confirming the charges and expressing commitment to safety, but declined further comment as the matter is before the court. The case is listed for mention in Alice Springs Local Court on December 16.
