Flight path changed before army chopper tragedy
One of the pilots who died in a MRH-90 Taipan chopper crash spoke of less than ideal weather in the lead up to the tragedy, with an inquiry told deteriorating conditions resulted in flight path changes.
Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their helicopter plunged into the sea in July 2023.
The chopper, given the call sign Bushman 83, had been flying in formation with three others for Lindeman Island in Queensland, as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre.
The inquiry previously heard the aircraft had been told to “pull up” before it suddenly nosedived into the water.
Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent witnessed a MRH-90 Taipan crash into Jervis Bay. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)
Daniel Nugent, the father of pilot Lieutenant Nugent, said a briefing given by senior army leadership after the crash revealed the flight path plan was adjusted because of changing weather conditions.
Mr Nugent said another defence force member who had witnessed the incident told him he had “never seen an aircraft do that”.
Lieutenant Nugent’s partner Chadine Whyte said he had noted the weather conditions were “rainy and not ideal”, in a conversation before the crash.
The hearing was told Lieutenant Nugent had been involved in a previous incident just months earlier at Jervis Bay, after a MRH-90 suffered engine failure in March 2023, causing it to ditch into the sea.
He was leading the formation and witnessed the crash.
The crew had been praised for their handling of the emergency and no one was killed.
The Taipans were placed into early retirement after the disaster, their service plagued with fleet-wide groundings.
Ms Whyte said Lieutenant Nugent was left “rattled” for a few weeks after the incident, but returned to his normal self and was excited to participate in Exercise Talisman Sabre.
Ms Whyte said a military chaplain assigned to provide her with support after the crash told her she was still young and would “find somebody new”.
“Which is an incredibly cruel thing to say because he’s not replaceable,” she said.
“I was shocked.”
The helicopter crash claimed the lives of four servicemen. (HANDOUT/DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE)
She told the inquiry how she was forced to leave a support person outside she had brought along with her to a briefing about the crash.
Ms Whyte spoke of the “unfair and difficult task” given to Daniel Nugent, who had to relay updates to her while mourning his son.
Sarah Loft, the partner of Corporal Naggs, said being the only person to initially receive information after the crash was “horrific”.
“I don’t understand why people couldn’t get the answers directly,” she said.
“I don’t understand why it had to go through me when it was their family.
“I remember just being hysterical, I just received some awful news.”
The inquiry was told by multiple family members they were still waiting to hear back from the coroner’s office in Queensland about the testing of remains found during recovery efforts.
Daniel Nugent said his family was yet to receive a death certificate from the coroner’s office, which had delayed the processing of insurance.
More family members are expected to give evidence at the inquiry this week.
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