The body of a pilot has been found in the crash site of a missing helicopter, which disappeared during a short flight near Port Hedland, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, on Tuesday.
Pilbara man Arthur Percy Ross McDowell, 62, left Indee Station, about 70km south of Port Hedland, for Roy Hill Station in a single-seater helicopter about 4pm. The 300km flight was supposed to take no more than three hours and a search was called when it missed its scheduled arrival time of 6.30pm.
Eight helicopters and two planes joined the aerial search on Wednesday, scouring 3,000 sq km of rough terrain between the two stations.
The wreckage of the helicopter was found by one of the search teams at 3.20pm. It was in remote bushland just 11km north of McDowell’s destination of Roy Hill Station.
A spokesman for WA police said McDowell was found dead at the scene. His family has been notified.
McDowell has been described as a knowledgeable pilot with more than 40 years’ flying experience.
The police spokesman said police would now work with the Australian Transport and Safety Bureau to investigate the cause of the crash and prepare a report for the coroner.
As well as being a 400,000 hectare cattle station, Roy Hill station is the site of mining billionaire Gina Rinehart’s latest open-cut iron ore mine, which is due to begin exporting late this year.
