Nautilus Aviation said Tuesday that the pilot had been with the company for four months and had attended a party the night before the crash. The pilot was celebrating a promotion to the ground crew at another company facility.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel evacuated hundreds of guests and staff after a helicopter crashed in the north Queensland city early Monday morning. Flames shot into the night sky as the plane exploded, spilling fuel across the roof of the hotel, damaging some windows on the top floor of the seven-storey building.

Two tourists sleeping on the top floor of the hotel were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Holmes said the pilot had been on an “unauthorised flight”, but declined to comment on whether the helicopter had been stolen or whether the crash was deliberate.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) chairman Angus Mitchell said investigators believed the helicopter took off from the general aviation area at Cairns airport, about 5km from the hotel.

Witness Veronica Knight said she saw the helicopter fly very low over the water and then turn back, crashing into the roof of the hotel just before 2 a.m. local time. Knight's video showed flames and smoke billowing from the roof of the hotel.

All 421 adults, 50 children and two hotel staff were safely evacuated. Investigators including the accident investigation team and the ATSB are collecting evidence and conducting interviews to clarify the incident.

Cao Phong (according to CNN)