Chopper joyride pilot blamed for crash.......Sydney Morning Herald article October 3, 2008 - .....The pilot of a helicopter which crashed in northern Sydney earlier this year, seriously injuring four passengers, has had his licence suspended.An investigation revealed he was flying lower than his licence permitted and the craft breached weight restrictions.The Bell 206 JetRanger was being used for a 30th birthday party joyride when it crashed just before 1pm on March 1 in a backyard in Arcadia.An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation report released today
200801245 , reveals that the pilot's decision to fly low over the residential area breached the restrictions of his private pilot's licence.The report notes witness statements that the craft was
flying low over the trees
and that the
helicopter was being operated at a height from which recovery was not possible
It also reveals that the weight of the helicopter when it took off from Bankstown airport was 57 kilograms over the maximum take-off weight for its type, a clear breach of Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulations.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has advised that the pilots licence has been suspended after the accident pending a review by the authority
the report states. In testimony to the investigation, the pilot told investigators there was silence in the helicopter after he made a steep banking turn to the left.The craft crashed into the backyard of a family home, narrowly missing two teenage girls sitting in their loungeroom..............Di