Netflix star bugged after fatal crash: court
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to three allegations of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the fatal helicopter crash death of his mate, Chris 'Willow' Wilson.
The 34-year-old father was last seen alive dangling in the air from a sling attached to a Robinson R-44 helicopter during a crocodile egg collecting mission on February 28, 2022.
During this dangerous mission, the helicopter crashed into a paperbark swamp along the King River in Arnhem Land, killing Mr Wilson and critically injuring his 28-year-old pilot Seb Robinson. Outback Wrangler Matt Wright has been supported by wife Kaia Wright at court. Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia
The 45-year-old Netflix and Apple TV star was accused of trying to cover up the crashed chopper's flight logs and a 'pattern' of failing to properly record flight times.
The jury has repeatedly heard the cause of the crash was not the subject of the trial, rather Mr Wright's alleged actions in its wake.
On Thursday the jury was brought back to the scene of the traumatic chopper crash, with Wild Harvest NT director and The Crocodile King of the NT Mick Burns the first to give evidence. Wild Harvest NT director and 'The Crocodile King of the NT' Mick Burns gave evidence at the trial. Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Burns, who held the permit for the crocodile egg collection, said that day's mission was subcontracted to Mr Wright's Helibrook, Michael Burbidge's Remote Helicopters Australia and North Australia Helicopters with pilot Ty 'Mudcrab' Richardson.
The jury heard Mr Robinson and Mr Wilson were flying for Helibrook, while the other helicopters were manned by Jock Purcell and Tim Luck.
Mr Burns said the 'collectors' — who dangled through the sky to drop into deadly crocodile nests — were paid $1000 a day, while the pilots were paid by their respective chopper companies.
He said he paid for all fuel, repeating they only used high-lead content 'Green' fuel as 'we thought it was safer as if allows the engine to run cooler'.
The jury has heard the petrol, and a refuelling stop at Mt Borradaile, would be a source of contention through the trial, with Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC stating a witness maintained it was 'filled to the brim'.
At some point after leaving an agreed staging area near the King River crocodile nests, the Robinson R-44 with Mr Robinson and Mr Wilson crashed to the ground.
Mr Burns told the jury that after hearing the news, he, Mr Wright, and senior off-duty NT Police officer Neil Mellon immediately flew to the crash site.
Using the same model of Robinson R-44 used in the crash, Mr Burns said they flew non-stop for up to 90 minutes to the crash site, with no refuelling breaks — arriving just as Careflight crews left with the injured Mr Robinson.
Mr Burns started to tear up as he remembered arriving at the horrific scene, where his mate's body lay in the swamp. Former NT Police Northern Watch Commander Neil Mellon got emotional at court. Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Mellon was also emotional as he told the jury how he put his friend in a body bag, the experienced cop saying 'I've done it so many times, I didn't think these guys needed to do that'.
Mr Mellon said he disconnected Mr Wilson's harness, removed a handgun from his hip, and removed his mobile phone — handing it to Mr Burbidge.
He said Mr Burbidge told him Mr Wilson's wife Dani 'doesn't need to see what's on that' and later admitted the phone was 'gone' and was 'in the ocean'. Croc egg collector Chris Wilson was killed, while his pilot Sebastian Robinson was critically injured in a helicopter crash on the King River, West Arnhem on February 28, 2022. Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Gullaci also alleged Mr Wright, Mr Burbidge, and Mr Purcell approached the crashed helicopter and removed some items and 'play(ed) around with the dash'.
Mr Mellon agreed Mr Wright and Mr Burbidge were 'in and around' the crashed chopper's cockpit, but Mr Burns did not remember seeing this.
'I can't remember seeing anyone inside the helicopter. It was pretty low to the ground,' Mr Burns said.
He said Mr Burbidge reported the chopper still had fuel inside.
Mr Gullaci said initially Mr Wright told investigators he saw there was half a tank of fuel still in the crash chopper, however later said 'I didn't see f--king any fuel in the tank, zero'.
In a bugged conversation months later, Mr Wright allegedly said: 'I just looked in it then. F--k that, nah, it just had no fuel'.
'He had run out of fuel. I'll just say he was a sh-t pilot,' he allegedly said.
Mr Gullaci said at the time of the crash the Robinson R-44 had recorded 2070 hours on the Hobbs metre — just 130 hours shy of a costly maintenance overhaul requirement.
However, Mr Wright was allegedly recorded telling his wife, Kaia Wright, he knew the helicopter had overrun its maintenance threshold. Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and his wife Kaia Wright approaching the Supreme Court in Darwin on Thursday August 7. Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia
Mr Gullaci alleged Mr Wright repeatedly tried to manipulate the Robinson R-44's documents, including pressuring Mr Robinson — the now paraplegic pilot — to forge the records and suggested to others the original maintenance release should be 'destroyed'.
Mr Gullaci alleged Mr Wright was recorded saying: 'Just torch it, I don't know where it is'.
'Now everyone is f--king, now they are starting to put the pressure on everyone, you know, they will start squealing,' he allegedly said in September.
Defence senior counsel David Edwardson said while Mr Wright did have a practice of disconnecting the Hobbs metre and under-reporting flight hours, this was 'commonplace' among Territory pilots and not a 'motive' for the serious allegations against him.
Mr Edwardson said the charges against his client relied on statements made by Mr Robinson and his family whose 'credibility and reliability' was in question, and inaudible and unclear recordings.
The jury heard the lengthy trial would likely focus on the trace levels of cocaine found in Mr Robinson's blood after the crash.
Mr Gullaci said expert evidence would be presented saying this indicated recreational use in the days before the crash — rather than while he was piloting the chopper.
The trial continues on Friday.
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