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A grieving father has told an inquiry into a fatal army helicopter crash, that his son was involved in a separate incident with the plagued MRH90 Taipan fleet months earlier.
The independent inquiry is examining the circumstances that lead up to the fatal crash in July 2023, which claimed the lives of Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Corporal Alexander Naggs and Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock.
The second phase of public hearings is being held in Brisbane this week.
Daniel Nugent — father of one of the four personnel, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent — gave evidence that his son witnessed a separate crash in March of 2023 during another training exercise.
"He wasn't rattled, but he was concerned," Mr Nugent said.
Mr Nugent said his son was participating in an exercise where the MRH90s would pick up soldier divers "like teabags" over Jervis Bay.
The inquiry heard Lieutenant Nugent had been flying the aircraft leading formation, when he witnessed an MRH-90 crash into the water landing on top of the soldier divers, who were all recovered.
There were no fatalities from this exercise.
"My son had later learned that the crash was caused by engine failure," Mr Nugent said.
"He said that if the engine had failed while they were over land, he was certain that the soldiers would have been killed".
It was also revealed deteriorating weather conditions lead to flight plan changes during exercise Talisman Sabre.
Mr Nugent described his surprise when technical incident reports revealed his son was seated in the helicopter on the left-hand side when his son preferred the right-hand side.
'My son is dead'
Mr Nugent criticised the Queensland police and coroner's office for the handling of the investigation into his son's death.
He gave evidence that his family has still not received a death certificate from the coroner's office more than ten months after his son's death, which has meant the family could not claim insurance and superannuation.
"We're here today because my son is dead and there is no question about that," he said.
"In what appears to be because of bureaucracy which has dragged out the process of providing a death certificate … which is cruel."
The inquiry also heard Queensland police had contacted Mr Nugent days after the incident to gain access to Lieutenant Nugent's phone.
While giving evidence Mr Nugent broke down and said by the time the family had received his son's phone, the data had been corrupted by police's attempt to unlock the phone so the family could not access memorabilia and photos.
He was critical of their victim care, having not been contacted by the police since last year.
"They [Queensland Police] would rather stamp the findings of this inquiry – put a bow on it and submit that as their investigation to the coroner," Mr Nugent said.
'He wanted to be a dad'
The inquiry also heard from the partner of Lieutenant Nugent who gave evidence detailing the last text exchanges they had shared before the crash.
"We were messaging until the afternoon before the crash," Chadine Whyte said.
"He had heart reacted to a photo, which meant that he'd get back to me after work – but he never did."
Ms Whyte also described an interaction with a senior officer who sat her down weeks after the crash and told her she would be able to find somebody new.
"It was an incredibly cruel thing to say considering he's not replaceable," said Ms Whyte.
"I don't have family, Max was my family".
Family members cried as they heard Ms Whyte give evidence that the couple had talked about marriage and wanted to have kids.
"He talked about having children, he wanted to be like his dad and he wanted to be a dad," she said.
More family members of the four defence personnel are expected to give evidence this week as the hearings continue.