ABC reporter Paul Lockyer, pilot Gary Ticehurst and cameraman John Bean.
Source: AdelaideNow
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The scene of the helicopter crash at Lake Eyre which killed ABC reporter Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and pilot Gary Ticehurst
Pic: Trevor Wright/Wrightsair
Source: AdelaideNow
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The scene of the helicopter crash at Lake Eyre which killed ABC reporter Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and pilot Gary Ticehurst
Pic: Trevor Wright/Wrightsair
Source: AdelaideNow
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The scene of the helicopter crash at Lake Eyre which killed ABC reporter Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and pilot Gary Ticehurst
Pic: Trevor Wright/Wrightsair
Source: AdelaideNow
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The scene of the helicopter crash that killed (insets) ABC reporter Paul Lockyer, pilot Gary Ticehurst and cameraman John Bean
Source: AdelaideNow
It was the once-in-a-lifetime shot that cost them their lives.
For only the second time in 20 years, the murky Outback waters of Cooper Creek this week spilled on to the cracked salt bed of Lake Eyre.
The seasoned ABC news crew of journalist Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and helicopter pilot Gary Ticehurst were there to capture the phenomenon - when the desert floodwaters delivered life to the inland sea.
That footage lies among the charred remains of the helicopter in which the news team perished when it crashed on a desert plain, moments after take-off about 7.05pm on Thursday.
The crew's desire to capture the raw and rare beauty of the area at dusk is the most likely reason they pushed the limits of safe flying in the region by taking off in darkness - unprecedented for even the most experienced Outback pilots like Mr Ticehurst.
Outback tourism operator Rex Ellis was last to speak to the news crew when they met on a small sandy island in the Cooper inlet, known by some as Pelican Island. He took an hour to reach the crash site.
He witnessed the fiery glow of the crash over sand dunes then set off by boat to the crash site about 4km south of the island and 150km north of Maree.
"They took off and kind of circled around ... and it just didn't appear like a normal exit from such a situation," Mr Ellis said. "They just took off and went pretty low on the other side of the river and then virtually went out of sight behind dunes and then we didn't hear anything and just saw a glow and we realised that something pretty bad had happened.
He used his satellite phone to immediately alert the Royal Flying Doctor Service of the crash before a party of 15 in four boats went in search of the helicopter.
Mr Ellis and another member of the party reached the crash scene about 8pm, having "trudged through shallow water for about ½km" and over sand dunes.
"It was too late to do anything for them," he said.
A police team flown to the crash site about 2am yesterday used blue tarpaulins to cover the bodies of the news team before first light.
The water flow which attracted the journalists to the area is, ironically, now hampering police and air crash investigators' efforts.
Boggy conditions have made access to the site all but impossible.
Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Smith, officer-in-charge Northern Operations, said the impact was so forceful that debris was spread out over an area of up to 60m.
Early signs were that engine failure was the most likely cause of the crash because weather conditions were good for flying and the landscape at the site is flat.
"The sheer intensity of the fire, it's making it difficult even though they have located some (bodies) at the scene we're not expecting to find any survivors (but) we are conducting further checks in that area," he said.
"We're not expecting any positive identifications or the full extent of the details for some time."
ABC national managing director Mark Scott said he received a call from ABC staff about 8.15pm on Thursday informing him that a helicopter had gone down and that the broadcaster's helicopter was in the region.
"It's been the longest of nights and we think it will be the saddest of days here at the ABC," he said, early yesterday when it became clear his staff had been killed.
Lake Eyre Yacht Club commodore Bob Backway said he had been talking to Lockyer about the amazing array of bird life on show at Coopers Creek and Lake Eyre in recent months.
"We were talking about how exciting the area is at the moment, and how he wanted to get up there to see all the bird life," he said.
Mr Backway, who has been visiting the area since 1986, said the recent filling of Lake Eyre had caused the area to be swamped by tourists.
He added that water from the Cooper Creek first breached the shores of Lake Eyre yesterday and that was footage the news team had hoped to get on their expedition.
"Every journalist that goes up there (Lake Eyre) is amazed to see that such beautiful country exists," Mr Backway said. "Because of all the air traffic around there, the chances of a crash are going to increase."
Owner of the Prairie Hotel at Parachilna, Jane Fargher, said the news team had spent Wednesday night at the hotel and had a relaxed filming schedule on Thursday.
"It was made very clear to them while they were here that Cooper Creek was the star attraction and they were encouraged to go there for filming," Mrs Fargher said.
The crew, in the ABC's Sydney-based Aerospatiale helicopter, did some filming over the Flinders Ranges, flew over some of the vehicles taking part in the Variety Club bash and landed in the early afternoon at Muloorina Station. The helicopter was returning to Muloorina where the team was meant to have dinner when it crashed.
Station owner Cindy Mitchell said the men seemed in a jovial mood as they boarded the helicopter bound for Lake Eyre.
"They were in good spirits, like they always were when they were here," she said.
"They were happy to be in God's country and were enjoying the trip."
Experienced Outback pilot Dick Lang said he had avoided flying over Lake Eyre at night for 40 years because of the extreme danger caused by a lack of navigational points.
"There are no homesteads, cars or lights any where in the region so you don't have any idea where the surface is and you have got no horizon whatsoever," he said.
Mr Lang said his company had standing orders that no pilots were to operate any craft under 305m over the surface of Lake Eyre.
- with Bryan Littlely and Ken McGregor
PAUL LOCKYER
He as one of the ABC's most experienced journalists and covered some of the biggest stories at home and abroad. In an award-winning career spanning more than 40 years, Lockyer did everything from working as a foreign and political correspondent to covering the Sydney Olympic Games.
In recent times he concentrated on the coverage of regional issues for ABC TV and news and current affairs.
He focused extensively on the drought in eastern Australia and the massive floods that brought it to an end
JOHN BEAN
He worked for the 7.30 Report, Catalyst, The New Inventors and Gardening Australia in his 20-year career with the broadcaster. He was one of the ABC's most respected camera operators with two decades of experience with the national broadcaster.
Bean's wife, Landline reporter Pip Courtney, said he was "the most wonderful husband a girl would wish for".
Bean also did some outstanding work for Australian Story.
During the past two years, Bean had spent several stints overseas, in particular the Pacific. He also worked in the ABC News Washington Bureau.
GARY TICEHURST
Ticehurst had been the ABC's lead helicopter pilot since the mid-1980s and was one of the most experienced media pilots in Australia.
In almost 40 years as a chopper pilot, Ticehurst logged more than 16,000 hours of flying time.
The Sydney to Hobart yacht race was a constant Ticehurst's career with the ABC. Every year he brought stunning pictures to the ABC's TV audience and enabled radio reporters to close in on the action.
But during the tragic 1998 race, Ticehurst did more than just cover the race - he played a significant role in the rescue of 14 crew members from stricken yacht Business Post Naiad, which lost its skipper and a crew member.
Original article and photo gallery: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au
