Major claims as Netflix's Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright goes on trial over deadly chopper crash

News.com.au

6 hours ago

A reality television star and pilot allegedly fudged helicopter flight logs before his mate died in a fatal crash and suggested 'torching' important documents in the aftermath.
Those were just some of the explosive claims made in the Northern Territory Supreme Court during the first week of the trial against Outback Wrangler Matt Wright.
Mr Wright, 45, is accused of engaging in a 'pattern' of failing to accurately record flight times in the Robinson-R-44 that crashed three years ago, killing his friend and co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson.
The 34-year-old father was dangling from a sling attached to the chopper during a dangerous crocodile egg collecting mission on February 28, 2022.
The helicopter crashed into a paperbark swamp along the King River in Arnhem Land, killing Mr Wilson and critically injuring 28-year-old pilot Seb Robinson.
Mr Robinson is now a paraplegic and in a wheelchair.
Mr Wright has pleaded not guilty to three allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the crash.
In his opening address this week, prosecutor Jason Gullaci told the court the six-man operation was 'risky and dangerous work'.
Wild Harvest NT owner Mick Burns — commonly known as the 'crocodile king' — had a permit for egg collection and subcontracted Mr Wright's company Helibook.
Mr Gullaci alleged Mr Wright had a 'pattern' of manipulating flight records.
He said the Netflix and Apple TV star would have known about the maintenance requirements, including a service every 50 to 100 hours of flight and a major overhaul at 2200 hours.
He said these 'potential end of life' overhauls could cost up to $460,000.
Mr Gullaci alleged that in a bugged conversation with his wife Kaia in September 2022, Mr Wright suggested he knew he had overflown the maintenance hours 'by a couple hundred (hours), maybe 10 per cent'.
'I will be guilty of not keeping my f****** paperwork up to speed,' Mr Wright allegedly said.
Mr Wright allegedly repeatedly disconnected the chopper's Hobbs Meter, which Mr Gullaci compared to the odometer of a car.
While it was not alleged Mr Wright was responsible for the deadly crash, Mr Gullaci said his fear that he would be blamed did motivate his actions.
'Mr Wright was concerned after the crash that this failure would be revealed,' Mr Gullaci said.
'And if it was uncovered that there had been systemic under-reporting of the recorded hours, that it could be used as a way to blame him for the accident.'
Mr Burns testified the collectors, who dangled from helicopters, were paid $1000 per day and the pilots were paid by their respective companies.
He told the jury he paid for their 'green' fuel as 'we thought it was safer as it allows the engine to run cooler'.
The petrol and a refuelling stop at Mt Borradaile will be a source of contention throughout the trial.
Mr Burns began to tear up as he recalled arriving at the horrific crash site.
Off-duty police officer Neil Mellon was with Mr Burns at the site and also became emotional as he told the jury how he put his friend in a body bag.
'I've done it so many times, I didn't think these guys needed to do that,' he said.
Mr Mellon said he disconnected Mr Wilson's harness, removed a handgun from his hip, and removed his mobile phone — handing it to Michael Burbidge, who was flying another helicopter and had been the first to arrive at the scene.
He told the court Mr Burbidge told him Mr Wilson's wife Dani 'doesn't need to see what's on that' and later admitted the phone was 'in the ocean'.
Mr Mellon agreed Mr Wright and Mr Burbidge were 'in and around' the crashed chopper's cockpit, but Mr Burns said he did not recall.
In a bugged conversation months later, the court heard Mr Wright had allegedly said: 'He had run out of fuel. I'll just say he was a s*** pilot.'
The prosecutor alleged Mr Wright repeatedly tried to manipulate the helicopter's documents, including pressuring Mr Robinson to forge records and suggested to others the original maintenance release should be 'destroyed'.
Mr Gullaci alleged the celebrity was recorded saying: 'Just torch it, I don't know where it is.'
'Now they are starting to put the pressure on everyone, you know, they will start squealing,' he allegedly said in September.
On Friday, the court was played a covertly recorded phone call between Mr Wright and Mr Burbidge from August 9, 2022.
Mr Burbidge allegedly said to Mr Wright: 'Who's got the logbooks for IDW? There's been s**t written in it.'
Mr Burbidge then told Mr Wright an anonymous 'source' told him engineers had been writing notes in the logbook, saying the helicopter had been flown when the hours meter was disconnected.
'They've said the clock's been off … so you need to find out who's f****** said it so you know who to trust and not to trust,' he said.
Defence senior counsel David Edwardson said the charges against his client relied on statements made by Mr Robinson and his family whose 'credibility and reliability' was in question, as well as inaudible and unclear recordings.
The jury heard the lengthy trial would likely focus on the trace levels of cocaine in Mr Robinson's blood.
Mr Gullaci said expert evidence would be presented that indicated recreational use in the days before the crash.
The trial before Justice Alan Blow will resume next week.