Helicopter in fatal Tai Po crash suffered ‘in-flight break-up’, according to initial findings from Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority

The Robinson R44 II aircraft started to break up 45 minutes into journey, before coming to tragic end near Kadoorie Farm

Victim Andrew Wong, a 49-year-old lawyer, had racked up 81.1 hours flying time

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The wreckage from last month’s deadly helicopter crash. Photo: Handout

Published: 7:31pm, 3 Jul 2019Updated: 9:45pm, 3 Jul 2019

A fatal helicopter crash in Tai Po two months ago was caused by an “in-flight break-up”, according to preliminary investigation findings released on Wednesday.

The crash near Kadoorie Farm on May 19, which claimed the life of the pilot Andrew Wong Fai-hung, was being investigated by the Hong Kong Air Accident Investigation Authority (AAIA), with the probe expected to take a year to complete.

“The helicopter sustained an in-flight break-up,” the initial AAIA report said. “No distress call was made by the pilot.”

The report noted the helicopter fuselage ignited on impact and was partially destroyed.

An aerial view of the crash site in Tai Po. Photo: Winson Wong

“The debris trail of the helicopter ... was scattered for about 500 metres. It began near Lam Kam Road and finished at the fuselage impact point,” the report stated.

Wong, 49, was a lawyer with Pansy Leung Tang & Chua Solicitors. He departed from Shek Kong Airfield and had been flying for 45 minutes before the incident.

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