The last words of a helicopter pilot who died after a mid-air collision with another man flying a chopper has been revealed, as investigations into the crash continue.
Peter Ritter, 29, and Gavin U’Ren, 30, were operating their Robinson R22 helicopters in an aerial mustering operation in Western Australia’s Kimberley region on July 25.
The two men were working for Broome-based Pearl Coast Helicopters over Mount Anderson Station before they crashed mid-air at a height of about 100ft.
Both pilots were tragically killed in the crash.
Two other pilots who survived the incident had left with the pair after a muster briefing about 5.15am that morning.
The other two pilots were to follow Mr Ritter and Mr U’Ren to the muster site, according to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), released on Friday.
The surviving pilots said they saw Mr Ritter and Mr U’Ren flying together but ‘did not detect a risk of collision’.
They contacted the two pilots over the radio where one of them responded ‘Yep, I see you there’, moments before the crash.
Helicopter crash victim Gavin U’ren. He was killed in the collision on July 25
Helicopter crash victim Peter Ritter. He and Mr U’Ren had been on an aerial mustering operation at the time of the crash
One of the surviving pilots also told the ATSB he was forced to manoeuvre his helicopter to avoid being struck by one of the falling choppers.
‘Wreckage examination found damage to the right side of one helicopter which was consistent with a rotor blade strike from the other, while there was no evidence of an in-flight break-up, or any loss of flight continuity prior to the collision,’ ATSB Director Transport Safety Dr Stuart Godley said.
Dr Godley said the investigation remains ongoing and will include further examination and analysis of collected evidence.
Both Mr Ritter and Mr U’Ren were experienced pilots and had no medical restrictions to fly.
All four helicopters involved in the mustering operation had been using the same fuel without issue.
The cause of the fatal collision is yet to be determined, with a final report expected to be handed down early next year.
The crash site location near Mount Anderson Station at Camballin in WA is pictured
Pearl Coast Helicopters released a statement on the tragedy at the time.
‘Pearl Coast Helicopters is deeply saddened to report the tragic loss of two of our valued and highly experienced pilots in a helicopter accident on Mount Anderson Station earlier today,’ the company said.
‘The accident is devastating and we express our condolences to the family and friends of the pilots involved, as well as our team, who are profoundly impacted by this loss.’
Just weeks before the tragedy, Mr U’Ren spoke out about his love for helicopters in an interview with Farm Weekly.
‘Watching them work, and getting to ride in the helicopters occasionally made me realise that was what I wanted to do,’ Mr U’Ren said.
‘Becoming mates with a few pilots, seeing the life they live, moving around and seeing some pretty cool countryside just concreted it.’
The pilots took off just after 6am on July 25 on a mustering job over the Kimberley region in WA
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