Pilot's shocking move after chopper crash
On the fourth day of evidence in the trial of Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, helicopter pilot Jock Purcell confirmed he took official aviation records from Sebastian Robinson's home.
Mr Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the chopper crash that killed his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson and critically injured his pilot, Sebastian Robinson on February 28, 2022.
Prosecutor Jason Gullaci has alleged Mr Wright conspired to cover up a 'pattern' of dodgy records, where it is alleged he underreported flight hours to avoid costly maintenance requirements.
On Monday, Mr Wright's employee Mr Purcell told the jury he went to his cottage to collect Mr Robinson's pilot's logbook, while his friend was still lying in a Brisbane hospital bed. Helicopter pilot Jock Purcell worked for Outback Wrangler Matt Wright when his co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson was killed in a chopper crash over the King River, in Arnhem Land, NT. Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Purcell said he could not 'recall' who asked him to get the aviation documents, and when asked why he did the task he replied: 'I don't know.'
He said he did not show the logbook to anyone or take photos of the official records, but was later asked by Mr Robinson to return the records.
'I took it home, and then Seb's brothers come and got it from my house,' Mr Purcell said.
However, in a tapped telephone conversation between Mr Purcell and Mr Wright five months after the crash, the pair allegedly discussed the young pilot talking to investigators, the crashed chopper's maintenance release and Hobbs Meter, which records flight hours. Outback Wrangler Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty. NewsWire / Pema Tamang Pakhrin Credit: NewsWire
The reality television star told his pilot 'the Hobbs been touched'.
'Something had gone on with the Hobbs there, I dunno, they've moved it forward or some f***ing thing as well,' Mr Wright said.
'Just going through a few motions there, just don't know exactly what.
'I'm just trying to think how much Sebby's, or what Sebby's tried to say to them, if anything even.' Crown Prosecutor Jason Gullaci has alleged Mr Wright conspired to cover up a 'pattern' of dodgy records. NewsWire / Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia
The pair then said some of that information could have been gathered from the maintenance release, which pilots fill out to record flight hours and service histories of helicopters.
Three years after the bugged call, Mr Purcell told the court was unsure if it was related to the crash investigation which killed one of his close friends, and robbed another of his ability to walk.
'It could be related to anything,' he said.
'I don't know what Matt was saying about Sebby.' Croc egg collector Chris Wilson was killed, while his pilot Sebastian Robinson was critically injured in a helicopter crash. Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Purcell was also flying on the ill-fated egg collecting mission, arriving at the scene of the horror crash after Michael Burbidge.
He initially said he did not remember anyone approaching the crash site, but then said the only thing removed were a few headsets.
However under cross examination, Mr Purcell said: 'I know someone lifted the dash of the helicopter.'
Mr Purcell said he checked to see why the chopper might have gone down, and happened to notice that the Hobbs Meter was connected.
But Mr Gullaci alleged the sole purpose for Mr Purcell to look under the dash was to inspect this device 'because you knew there was a practice among Matt Wright's helicopters of the Hobbs Meter being disconnected'.
'And you wanted to see whether it was connected or not, for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?' Mr Gullaci asked.
Mr Purcell said he did not believe that was the case. Helicopter pilot Jock Purcell said he checked to see why the chopper might have gone down. Credit: News Corp Australia
But when asked what else he could have been inspecting, the experienced pilot said: 'I'm not an investigator so I don't know.'
However, Mr Purcell had already conceded there was a pattern of not recording flight hours, and had previously seen both Mr Wright and Mr Robinson disconnect the Hobbs Meter.
He said there were times when the flight hour recorder was disconnected because 'it was getting close to service'.
Mr Gullaci also presented group chat texts from Mr Wright's pilot which he alleged were discussions where they appeared to 'sort out' recorded flight times 'to help hide the under reporting of hours'.
But Mr Purcell maintained this was merely a discussion to ensure no hours were 'missing' from each chopper.
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Wright has pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court in Darwin to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. Prosecutors allege Wright was worried crash investigators would uncover flight-time meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified. The jury on Monday heard from helicopter pilot Jock Purcell who was on the croc-egg collecting mission on the day of the crash. He admitted disconnecting Hobbs flight-time recorders and falsifying flight records when directed by Wright and gave evidence Mr Robinson had showed him how to disconnect the meters. Senior Defence Counsel David Edwardson KC put it to Mr Purcell his friend Mr Robinson was "hopeless with his paperwork" when it came to keeping up to date with his flight record keeping. Mr Purcell agreed and admitted that after the crash, when Mr Robinson was in hospital, he had updated flight records for the injured pilot's own helicopter when asked to do so. "He just reached out and I did it for him," Mr Purcell said. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell that those on the croc-egg mission were part of a close-knit community. "In many respects you were as thick as thieves ... performing an incredibly dangerous exercise, so you had to have each others backs," he said. Mr Purcell agreed, but concurred Wright was known to have zero tolerance for drugs. Mr Edwardson put it to Mr Purcell he knew Mr Robinson was a "party animal" who used cocaine, marijuana and alcohol. "I think we all enjoyed a beer and having a good time," Mr Purcell said, agreeing he had seen Mr Robinson use cocaine. Under questioning by crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci, Mr Purcell admitted not filling out maintenance release forms after flying Wright's helicopters. He had seen Wright disconnect meters and agreed the helicopter operator was "lenient" when it came to record keeping, he said. The disconnections occurred when required services were near-due for a helicopter, Mr Purcell said. He flew to the scene on the day of the crash and told the court the aircraft's console had been unscrewed but he couldn't recall who by. Under questioning from Mr Gullaci, the pilot said he looked behind the console to see if anything stood out to explain the crash and he saw the Hobbs meter was connected. "You wanted to see whether it was connected or not for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?" Mr Gullaci asked. "I don't believe so," Mr Purcell replied. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash or Mr Wilson's death. The trial before acting Justice Allan Blow is expected to take up to five weeks. 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The disconnections occurred when required services were near-due for a helicopter, Mr Purcell said. He flew to the scene on the day of the crash and told the court the aircraft's console had been unscrewed but he couldn't recall who by. Under questioning from Mr Gullaci, the pilot said he looked behind the console to see if anything stood out to explain the crash and he saw the Hobbs meter was connected. "You wanted to see whether it was connected or not for when investigators turned up to look at the crashed helicopter?" Mr Gullaci asked. "I don't believe so," Mr Purcell replied. The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash or Mr Wilson's death. The trial before acting Justice Allan Blow is expected to take up to five weeks.
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