Wallis family, DoC speak on triple fatal helicopter crash
Firefighters first on the scene of Thursday’s tragic helicopter triple fatality were horrified they could only helplessly watch the crashed machine burn after it became clear live ammunition was “cooking off” in the blaze.
Nick Wallis, 38, of the wellknown Wanaka flying family and whose brother and fellow pilot Matt Wallis died nearby in a chopper crash just three months ago, was flying a leased Hughes 500 with two Department of Conservation (DoC) members of the elite senior rangers team, Paul Hondelink, 63, and 59-year-old Scott Theobald, both of Twizel.
They took off from Wanaka Airport in blue sky, light winds, perfect conditions, at 10.51am on Thursday, bound for the headwaters of the Haast Valley, for the first day of tahr cull operations.
But moments after take-off, the aircraft inexplicably crashed 1.5km away in a paddock near the banks of the Clutha River. There were no survivors.
A major probe is under way to find out what happened, although police say there are no suggestions of foul play.
A member of the public called emergency services shortly before 11am reporting smoke coming from the aircraft.
Firefighters from Wanaka Airport and the Luggate and Wanaka volunteer fire brigades came across a terrifying scene, with the helicopter ablaze, with a full tank of fuel, and live ammunition for the hunters’ operations that day, “cooking off” in the fireball.
Crews who attended have been offered counselling and support, the Herald has been told.
Yesterday morning, crash investigators could be seen at the site, along with several police cars, tents, and officers in a base several hundred metres from the wreckage. What appeared to be the tail section was more than 100m away.
It is understood the leased helicopter was brought in by Wallis’ Alpine Helicopters company for the tahr cull contract.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has sent a fourstrong investigation team.
Nick Wallis, survived by a wife and twin 7-year-old daughters, was director and general manager of Alpine Helicopters, and the youngest son of Sir Tim Wallis, who founded the Warbirds Over Wanaka airshow and who himself has survived a reported 15 air crashes.
Jonathan and Toby Wallis said their brother Nick, the pilot of the downed helicopter, was passionate about what he did and “effervescent”.
“Nick was larger than life in a literal context. He was 6ft 6, he was 120kg. He was effervescent. Nothing was ever a problem,” Jonathan said.
Tragically, Thursday’s crash wasn’t quite three months after the family lost another brother, Matthew, in a helicopter crash.
“That makes it hard,” he said.
“You don’t become immune to that. We are a close family. We’re very fortunate in Wanaka that we really do support each other. We’re really grateful for that.”
Director General of Department of Conservation (DoC) Lou Sanson said the two rangers who died, Paul Hondelink, 63, and 59-year-old Scott Theobald, both of Twizel, were experts.
Sanson said a huge amount of skill had been lost in the death of the three men.
Yesterday they were heading in to the bush to help protect the birds in the area.
“Scott was the pioneer of predator dogs — the first in the world. Everywhere Scott went the Kiwi numbers went up. He was born to kill pests. He was born to bring back birds,” Sanson said.
Paul Hondelink, 63, was one of DoC’s foremost professional chamois and tahr hunters.
Scott Theobald, 59, was an expert at killing pests to boost native bird numbers.