Coroner's Court investigates fatal 2018 gyrocopter crash

An inquest has commenced in the Coroner's Court to investigate the mechanical causes of a fatal gyrocopter crash that occurred near Orange Airport on October 31, 2018. The accident claimed the lives of Richard “Kim” Caskey and Michael Waldon.

Deputy State Coroner Derek Lee is presiding over the hearing, which is expected to last one week. A central focus of the investigation is determining whether a rotor blade shed its internal balance rod during flight. Investigators are seeking to establish if such a failure resulted from design, manufacturing, or maintenance issues.

Witnesses at the scene reported hearing noises ranging from a “pop sound like a car tyre bursting” to a large explosion, describing the aircraft as “falling out of the sky.” The aircraft involved was a Titanium Explorer G014, designed by TAG Aviation with rotor blades manufactured by Composite Components.