Helicopter Crash in Mt Aspiring | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 10, 2026 · 1m

A tragic helicopter crash in Mt Aspiring National Park claims the lives of pilot Tim Brown and guide Sean Roach during a chamois retrieval mission. Rotor blades struck a rockface while hovering, sending the aircraft plummeting 30 meters. Footage from the cockpit and ground photos capture the moment around 9:35 AM on May 17th, amid frosty but clear conditions. The incident underscores the peril of alpine operations, especially for the Wallis family-owned Alpine Group — already grieving two sons lost in separate crashes in 2018. An ongoing investigation will deliver a final report with safety…