But a spokesman for the Curry Kenny Aviation Group has denied the company has a bad safety record.

The four died while on a tourist flight over the Purnululu National Park, also known as the Bungle Bungles, in a helicopter operated by Slingair Heliwork.

The Robinson 44 crashed in remote country just 10km from its take-off point.

WA’s largest privately owned aviation firm with more than 50 aircraft, Slingair Heliwork was purchased by the Curry-Kenny Aviation Group in May this year.

Mr Kenny, 46, was reportedly on his way to the crash scene yesterday and could not be contacted.

Curry-Kenny Aviation Group spokesman Andrew Crook said the 40-year-old pilot killed in the crash was experienced and had flown over the area for several years.

“We are obviously deeply saddened and shocked about what’s happened,” he said.

“We are working with all the regulatory authorities to find out what did happen and whatever we can do to assist in that we will.”

He referred questions on the company’s safety record to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

“The Curry Kenny Aviation Group certainly takes all its responsibilities in this regard to the highest degree,” Mr Crook said.

“Maintenance is conducted at the highest levels ... there’s nothing to suggest there’s anything wrong with the Curry-Kenny Group.”

It is not the first time a helicopter owned by the company has been involved in a tragic accident.

In July, 2000, a chopper it was leasing to the Capricorn Rescue Helicopter Service crashed near the Queensland town of Marlborough, killing the experienced pilot and four passengers.

In 1998, another Kenny-owned chopper leased by Channel 10 crashed into the side of Brisbane’s Mount Coot-tha, killing the pilot.

In 1997, another helicopter leased by the company to Capricorn Rescue Helicopter Service caught fire while on the ground and was destroyed but no-one was injured.

The three dead women, aged 19, 20 and 20, were all from the Kimberley town of Kununurra and well-known in the small community.

The pilot was from Rockhampton.

Julian Walsh, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s director of aviation safety investigation, would not comment on the cause of the crash.

He said the safety record of Mr Kenny’s company would be examined as a matter of course.

“The helicopter that went down was a Robinson R44,” Mr Walsh said.

“They’re a very popular US-built aircraft. There’s nothing in particular of concern in relation to those helicopters.”

The helicopter was one of three Slingair Heliwork craft flying in the area on Sunday.

The alarm was raised by one of the pilots when he saw smoke on the horizon and could not contact the crashed chopper by radio.

Police cordoned off the crash site and Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators were expected to arrive at the remote location yesterday afternoon.

SOURCE | The Daily