Latest news with #Gullaci
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Sky News AU
Helicopter pilot Sebastian Robinson denies being 'raging cocaine junky' during trial of Outback Wrangler Matt Wright
Pilot Sebastian Robinson has admitted to occasional drug use but denied he is a 'raging cocaine junky' during the Supreme Court trial of crocodile wrangler Matt Wright. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice over his alleged actions following the chopper crash that killed his friend and Netflix co-star Chris 'Willow' Wilson in February 2022. Mr Robinson was flying the helicopter on the day of the crash and suffered life-altering injuries, including a permanent brain injury and a severed spinal cord that has left him a paraplegic. The court had earlier heard allegations Mr Robinson was a 'party animal' and 'frequent user of cocaine'. But when questioned by crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC, Mr Robinson said he had only used cocaine about 10 times in the five years before the fatal crash. 'Were you a raging cocaine junky Mr Robinson?' Mr Gullaci asked. Mr Robinson replied: 'Not at all.' He told the court that during seven years as a pilot he had never used cocaine within hours of flying or flown a helicopter while intoxicated. Mr Robinson said he was aware cocaine metabolites had been found in his system after the crash. He was also asked about police seizing his phone and downloading its contents. 'Would there be messages on that phone that would confirm your use of cocaine in the five years before the crash?' Mr Gullaci asked. Mr Robinson replied: 'I would think so, yes.' Mr Robinson was also asked about his usual practice when it came to the fuel management of helicopters. He told the court the Robinson R44 helicopters, like the one he was flying on the day of the crash, had a warning light that came on when there was 18 litres of fuel left in the tank. 'The R44 has got a low fuel system in it so with approximately 18 litres left a light in the console will illuminate very brightly and that will mean you've got approximately 18 litres, which is 18 minutes, of fuel left," he said. He said he had never seen the fuel light come on while flying. If it did come on he said he would land the helicopter straight away. Mr Robinson has been asked questions about the day of the fatal helicopter crash, but has told the court his memory is fuzzy and he only recalls glimpses of certain events. He was shown a photograph taken in the helicopter by Mr Wilson on the morning of the crash showing the helicopter's main and auxiliary tanks were each at least three quarters full. Mr Robinson agreed with Mr Gullaci that the helicopter would have had enough fuel to reach the crash site. The trial before Justice Alan Blow continues.
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Perth Now
Major claims on Netflix star's chopper crash
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. Matt Wright, pictured with his wife Kaia and lawyer David Edwardson, has pleaded not guilty. NewsWire / Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia 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.' Outback Wrangler Matt Wright with his wife Kaia Wright. NewsWire / Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia 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. Wild Harvest NT director Mick Burns had a permit for the egg collection. NewsWire / Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia 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. Former NT Police Northern Watch Commander Neil Mellon testified during the trial about putting his friend in a body bag. NewsWire / Zizi Averill Credit: News Corp Australia 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. Chris Wilson's widow Dani Wilson outside court. NewsWire/Pema Tamang Pakhrin Credit: News Corp Australia 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.
West Australian
07-08-2025
- West Australian
Matt Wright: Croc-wrangler's fears mates ‘will start squealing' as cops put pressure on after fatal crash
Outback Wrangler host Matt Wright feared his mates would 'start squealing' as investigators 'put pressure on' them following the fatal chopper crash that killed his Netflix co-star Chris Wilson and left a pilot paraplegic, prosecutors say. On day two of Mr Wright's supreme court trial, crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC revealed what was allegedly captured in new secret police recordings from the celebrity croc-wrangler's bugged Gold Coast home. Mr Wright is on trial in the Northern Territory after pleading not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the investigation into a fatal crash. Mr Wright's aviation business Helibrook owned a Robinson R44, registered VH-IDW, which crashed during a crocodile egg collecting mission at West Arnhem Land on February 28, 2022. Pilot Sebastian Robinson was critically injured in the accident while the egg collector, 34-year-old Wilson, was killed. On Thursday Mr Gullaci told the jury that in 2022, as multiple investigations into the fatal accident progressed, authorities were seeking the original maintenance release for the destroyed helicopter. The 'MR' is an A3 document that is kept inside the helicopter and contains information about the aircraft's maintenance, airworthiness and flight hours. It has a unique identifying number and is legally required to be filled out, kept in the chopper at all times and produced upon request. The court heard that on March 3, 2022 an ATSB investigator saw and took photos of the MR at Mr Wright's home in Darwin. On March 14 of that year, Kaia Wright also scanned and emailed a copy of it to police but the physical original was never seized or examined by authorities. In May 2022, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority issued Mr Wright, as chief pilot with Helibrook, a formal notice to produce the 'original of the most recent maintenance release for R44 helicopter VH IDW serial number 12355'. 'And in the second half of 2022 there were multiple requests for the original MR for IDW in effect at the time of the accident to be produced and it was never produced,' Mr Gullaci said. 'The prosecution alleges that certainly from 30 May 2022 Mr Wright knew that … the authorities wanted the physical original of IDW surrendered. 'And what we say is that there are two conversations that occur three days apart in September 2022 … we say that what is being discussed is the destruction of the original MR for IDW so that the authorities can't get it. 'And so that the authorities can't perform whatever forensic test they might want to perform on it, whether it be handwriting or whatever it might have been, and that that's what is being discussed in these conversations.' The Melbourne-based barrister conceded the 'quality of these recordings is not great'. But the prosecution says that given the opportunity to listen to these calls multiple times, with the aid of a transcript, 'the critical features of this call can be made out'. Both of the conversations, recorded at Mr Wright's home at Palm Beach in Queensland, were between him and his mate Jai Tomlinson. Mr Tomlinson is a pilot and director of a civil construction company on the Sunshine Coast. The prosecution says that in the first conversation, picked up by a police listening device at 2.58pm on September 23 in 2022, Mr Wright's wife Kaia can also be heard. The prosecution says the group are talking about the MR for VH-IDW and alleges this is what was said: Wright: What's that? Tomlinson: That f***ing MR. Wright: Where is it? Tomlinson: I don't know. Remember he didn't take it with him and we tried to cover his arse. Kaia Wright: Now they want it for a handwriting specialist. Tomlinson: Well that's what he thinks. Wright: Who? Kaia Wright: David. (alleged reference to Mr Wright's solicitor David Newey). Tomlinson: That there, that's (inaudible) Wright: What? Tomlinson: There is zero interest in it? Wright: The what? Tomlinson: The other one that we scribbled over. (Inaudible). Waterlogged, wasn't it? Wright: Yes. Tomlinson: Whatever boys. Lawyer up, boys. How are you meant to know, Matty? How the f*** are you meant to know? You don't know. Wright: Yes. Tomlinson: I don't know. Kaia: Jai, that was only you and Matt there. Tomlinson: Yes, yes, no one else. Wright: What's that? The MR? Tomlinson: Yes. Kaia: Who is going to remember? It was early. Wright: Hey? No, but I asked the boys to sign it, and no one signed it. No one signed it. Tomlinson: It got signed. It got signed on that morning on a tree stump. It's all right, f***ing. (unintelligible). How do you know? Wright: I know. Tomlinson: No, no, no. Wright: It's just what the boys. Tomlinson: No, but how are you meant to know? You weren't there. You're not there every time someone f***ing signs it. Wright: Yes, now – but now everyone is f***ing – now they are starting to put the pressure on everyone, you know, they will start squealing, so yes. Tomlinson: One word against another's. I can send you the docs. You haven't seen the documents. Wright: (unintelligible). I know, that's what shits me. (Unintelligible conversation). Wright: It's only Dan and Jocko that were involved. The prosecution says Jocko is a reference to Jock Purcell, a pilot and egg collector employed by Mr Wright, who was on the fatal February 2022 mission. A follow-up conversation was recorded two days later, just after midnight on September 25, between Mr Wright and Mr Tomlinson. 'The prosecution case is this is a continuation of the same topic of discussion they were talking about from two days earlier, 23 September,' Mr Gullaci said. The below transcript reflects what the prosecution alleges was said during the late night chat, which starts off with Mr Wright relaying to Mr Tomlinson what happened at the crash site when Jock Purcell was checking to see if the Hobbs meter was connected in VH-IDW. Wright: But no one is saying – the thing is that no one is going. Yes, they looked at the dash and they were looking for something, yes? I said Dave is going, 'This where I'm up to,' and I've gone, 'Yes, we were.' AUDIO DROPS OUT FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS Wright: No, this is where it's f***ed. Jocko didn't touch a thing. That's what I said earlier, mate you are not lying. It's hard to say, but you're not lying with what you say, you didn't touch a fucking thing. Tomlinson: He didn't see. Wright: No, he saw. Tomlinson says: Nothing? Wright: He was the bloke looking under as I was trying. I was the only bloke who went f***ing boom-boom-boom, Jocko check underneath. All right, that was me. I believe so. We were checking the lines to make sure that the fucking thing wasn't going to short out and f***ing burn out. Or to make sure that there was nothing substantial going on, or to try and work out what was going on with the machine. Jocko didn't touch a f***ing thing at all. Tomlinson: Where was Burbs? (pilot Michael Burbidge) Wright: Right next to me. Tomlinson: Where was Mellon? (off-duty police officer Neil Mellon) Wright: Right next to him going, 'What are you guys doing?' And I said, 'Mate, just checking shit to make sure it's all good. 'Jocko, is everything good, is it okay?' (Jock reportedly said) 'Everything is good Matty. Don't worry about it, sweet. Everything is connected, it's all fucking sweet'. So that is what it is. That is the big crunch - right? INAUDIBLE Tomlinson: I thought that was. Wright: No, no, that's the big one. Mine is the other one. Mine is this one that I thought was going to get every c*** to lie. Only reason we're not f***ed, mate. I'll hang that c*** up by his fuckin' neck. He's like, 'Don't worry, guys, I've got this', like. I don't know what he was saying because I didn't understand what you're meant to do and not meant to do. I thought, 'F*** that - we'll take everything' - right. We are here, we are taking it, you know, all right?' And he goes, 'It's all right, I've got your back. I want to make sure that it's all legal.' And I was like, 'I don't give a f***, nah, so' AUDIO DROPS OUT FOR ABOUT 90 SECONDS Wright: No. With I didn't. Tomlinson: Mm mm. Wright: Yep. Tomlinson: (unintelligible) Wright: I just looked at it then. F*** that, nuh, it just had no fuel, he had run out of fuel. I will just say that he was a shit pilot. Tomlinson: Yeah, work on his character. Wright: Yep, poor admin, hey, poor admin, mm mm. Wright: Just torch it. I don't know where it is but I'm thinking it's either there. I've got to send it to CASA or ATSB (unintelligible) if they don't have it and they're asking (unintelligible). Wright: Yeah, so they don't have the original. I reckon CASA are chasing the original to set us up. I don't remember signing it. Tomlinson: Mm mm Wright: Just burn the c***. Mr Gullaci said the 'shit pilot' comment was a reference to Mr Robinson who was flying, and was critically injured, when the chopper crashed. The prosecutor said Mr Wright 'is and must be' referring to requests by CASA and the ATSB for IDW's original MR. 'The prosecution case is, on charge 3, that … Mr Wright wanted to, or was instructing Mr Tomlinson to, destroy the original MR so it couldn't be provided to the authorities,' he said. When Mr Gullaci finished delivering the crown's opening statement, Mr Wright's defence barrister David Edwardson KC addressed the jury. 'The prosecution alleges that all three counts on the indictment are attempts by Matt Wright to provide false information and interfere with the lawful investigations that occurred concerning the helicopter crash,' he said. 'Members of the jury, by his pleas of not guilty to all three counts, Matt Wright denies that he did any such thing. 'He is presumed to be innocent of all three counts unless the prosecution proves otherwise beyond reasonable doubt.' Mr Edwardson said count one 'turns entirely on the unchallenged record of what Matt Wright said to the police in a statutory declaration' on March 3, 2022 when he told police that he looked in the helicopter's fuel tank at the scene and saw 'what looked like about half a tank of fuel'. 'This is the lie that the prosecution relies on to make out count 1,' he said. 'In relation to count 2, the credibility of Sebastian Robinson and his extended family is seriously in issue. 'Their evidence will be critical to your consideration of this count and will require you to conduct very close scrutiny of those witnesses.' In regards to count 3, the Adelaide silk said that the Wrights had presented the original MR to authorities on two occasions – physically showing an ATSB investigator and providing a scanned copy to police – in March 2022. 'On the prosecution case, count 3 is based entirely on the prosecution's interpretation and construction of a recorded conversation in the early hours of the morning of 25 September 2022 (between Wright and Tomlinson),' he said. 'It is simply the interpretation, your interpretation, of a recording. 'So you can see, members of the jury, that the actual evidence that goes directly and specifically to each count is of very small compass indeed and should not take long, that evidence at least.' The five-week trial, before Acting Justice Alan Blow, will resume on Friday morning with witnesses Michael Burbidge, Tim Luck, Ty Richardson Mr Purcell – who were all present at the crash site – expected to be called next.
NZ Herald
06-08-2025
- NZ Herald
Outback Wrangler Matt Wright accused of falsifying helicopter records before fatal crash
The jury heard Wild Harvest NT owner Mick Burns – commonly known as the 'crocodile king' of the NT – had the egg collection permit and lawfully subcontracted Wright's company Helibook to conduct the outback mission. The 34-year-old Wilson was the passenger of a Robinson R44 when the chopper went down, killing him and critically injuring Robinson. Gullaci alleged Wright plotted to 'cover up' certain things about the helicopter, specifically his 'pattern' of manipulating its flight records. He said that as an experienced businessman and pilot, Wright would have been very aware of the maintenance and service requirements of his aircraft, which include 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 A$460,000 ($504,284). Gullaci said the Robinson R-44 was bought in September 2020 and had 'officially' logged 1594 in flight hours – meaning there was only 600 from the overhaul threshold. He alleged that in a recorded conversation with his wife Kaia in September 2022, Wright suggested he knew he had overflown the maintenance hours 'by a couple hundred [hours], maybe 10%'. 'I will be guilty of not keeping my f**king paperwork up to speed,' Wright allegedly said in a secretly bugged conversation. To avoid the costly safety checks, Gullaci alleged Wright repeatedly and 'deliberately' disconnected the chopper's Hobbs Meter, which he compared to the odometer of a car. 'In fairness to Wright, he wasn't Robinson Crusoe,' Gullaci said. 'You will hear that in the Northern Territory aviation industry in the helicopter field, this is common practice.' Gullaci repeatedly emphasised to the jury none of the charges alleged Wright was responsible for the deadly crash, however, he alleged it was the celebrity's fear he would be blamed that motivated his actions. 'Wright was concerned after the crash that this failure would be revealed,' Gullaci said. 'And if it is uncovered that there had been systemic underreporting of the recorded hours, that it could be used as a way to blame him for the accident.' The prosecution revealed its evidence would include recordings from covert listening devices installed in the celebrity's home, and intercepted telephone calls. Among the many witnesses expected to be called will be Burns and Robinson, who is now a paraplegic and in a wheelchair. Despite the intense media coverage and 'keyboard warrior' commentary, Gullaci reminded the jury to restrict its attention only to the evidence to maintain Wright's right to a fair trial. 'For better or worse in this country we have 'Tall Poppy syndrome' … we cut down people just because they're very successful,' Gullaci said. 'That is not appropriate, and there is no place for it in this trial. 'It doesn't matter if it was Snowy off the bus that no one knows, it doesn't matter if it was Taylor Swift sitting in that dock – the same protections apply for every accused person.' The trial continues.
The Advertiser
06-08-2025
- The Advertiser
Outback Wrangler star 'tampered with helicopter dash'
Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said. Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said. Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said. Reality TV star Matt Wright tampered with the dashboard of a helicopter after a fatal crash and falsely reported its fuel tank level, a jury has heard. The Outback Wrangler star's trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright's mate and co-star Chris "Willow" Wilson died in the outback chopper crash that left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic. Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice following the February 2022 incident in the Northern Territory. The trial got underway in the Supreme Court in Darwin with crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC outlining his case to the jury. None of the charges related to the cause of the crash and it was not alleged Wright was responsible for it, the death of Mr Wilson or Mr Robinson's injuries, Mr Gullaci said. The Crown case was Wright did not properly record helicopter flying hours and was concerned that crash investigations would uncover that, leading to charges against him and his companies. The jurors were told part of the evidence would be covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using listening devices. Mr Wilson died doing something "incredibly brave", dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Mr Gullaci said. He and Mr Robinson were working for Wright to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms. On the day of the crash, Wright was aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and NT Police, leading to possible charges, Mr Gullaci said. Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Mr Gullaci said. As holder of an air operating certificate he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations to ensure safe operations. The Robinson R44 helicopter had a maximum flying-hour threshold of 2200 hours, at which time an operator had to decide to retire the aircraft or give it an overhaul costing more than $400,000. The case was about Wright engaging in practices to not properly record flying hours, including evidence that Hobbs flight-time recording meters were deliberately disconnected, Mr Gullaci said. "If you don't properly record service hours, you put off the maintenance and service requirements. It's a way of extending the life of the aircraft." That meant the 2200-hour limit could be passed by hundreds of hours and that affected airworthiness, Mr Gullaci said. The prosecution case was Wright was aware his pilots routinely disconnected Hobbs meters and did not accurately record their flying hours in log books - to make sure the meters and log books matched. The jury was told they would hear covertly recorded conversations between Wright and his wife Kaia in which he said: "I don't write shit down ... I will be guilty of not keeping my paperwork up to speed." They would also hear from pilots that Wright regularly asked them not to record flying hours in their log books. Investigations concluded the crashed helicopter was likely over its 2200 hours and its Hobbs meter was not working, Mr Gullaci said. "The rules are it shouldn't have been flying." Wright immediately choppered to the crash site on the day and "played around with the dash", the Crown alleging he was trying to see if the Hobbs meter was disconnected," Mr Gullaci said. "From the outset he attempts to cover up previous rule-breaking." Wright said in a statutory declaration to police he had seen about half a tank of fuel in the crashed chopper. But covert recording of Mr Wright showed he did not believe that, saying on the phone, "I didn't see any f***ing fuel in the tank - zero", Mr Gullaci told the jury. Wright made the statutory declaration with intent to obstruct investigations and avoid suggestions the aircraft operated without adequate fuel or there was a fuel line problem, the prosecutor said.
