A civil aviation report has found errors by billionaire businessman Michael Erceg led to the helicopter crash which killed him and his passenger south of Raglan on 4 November 2005. Erceg made his fortune through several liquor companies and was estimated to be worth $1.2 billion. Erceg was flying his helicopter in cloudy conditions when it crashed into trees south of Auckland in 2005. Friend Guus Klatte also died in the crash.
The Civil Aviation report lists these conclusions:
- The pilot was appropriately licensed to conduct the flight.
- The helicopter had a valid Airworthiness Certificate.
- The pilot departed from his home base having received a current weather area forecast which accurately forecast conditions to deteriorate along the chosen route of the flight. The pilot probably did not appreciate the significance of the forecast deteriorating weather.
- The pilot did not obtain current weather information for the North Island aerodromes on route prior to departure.
- The weather along some of the intended route of the flight was less than that required for VFR flight, and was forecast to be so.
- The pilot appears not to have considered better weather options in the central and eastern areas of the North Island.
- The pilot continued along a flight path towards rising ground, low cloud and decreasing visibility that left few alternatives to avoid flight into cloud and terrain in the last stage of the flight.
- The pilot flew the helicopter towards rising ground and into forecast deteriorating weather, possibly resulting in inadvertent IMC and/or subsequent loss of control.
- The pilot had limited first-hand experience in extended cross country flight and weather decision-making.
- The accident was not survivable due to impact forces however transmissions were not received due to the damaged antenna.
In summary, the report found that Erceg did not check the udpated weather forecast before setting out from Papakura. And it points out that Erceg had limited experience and made poor choices when bad weather set in.
A coroner’s inquiry into the deaths is proceeding.