Finding into death of Andrew Phillip Mull

34y · Male·Multiple injuries sustained in helicopter crash caused by tail rotor failure

Andrew Mull, a 34-year-old builder and pilot, died when his homebuilt Rotorway Exec 162 helicopter crashed on 29 March 2006 near Mount Beauty, Victoria. The coroner found tail rotor failure was the likely cause of the crash. Critical systemic failures included: inadequate oversight of kit helicopter construction by CASA, Andrew's minimal involvement in his helicopter's build despite claiming major participation, lack of independent airworthiness verification, absence of endorsement training on the Rotorway despite training on a different aircraft type (Robinson 22), and Andrew's limited maintenance knowledge. The coroner noted Andrew continuously experienced vibration issues post-licensing but lacked the training to diagnose or rectify problems. His reliance on the helicopter's distributor Kevin Lunn for advice proved insufficient when critical failures emerged. The coroner criticised the regulatory framework treating kit helicopters as 'experimental aircraft' without adequate safety oversight, design standards, or independent testing requirements.