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Perth Now
5 days ago
- Perth Now
Netflix star bugged after fatal crash: court
An Aussie reality television star was allegedly heard on covert recordings complaining his mates would 'start squealing' and suggested to 'torch' critical documents after the death of his co-star. 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.
NZ Herald
5 days ago
- 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.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
5 Killed After 2 Helicopters Collide and Crash Near an Airport. Authorities Say the Investigation Could Now Take a Year
Two helicopters collided midair near an airport on May 17, leaving no survivors There were a total of five people on board the helicopters, which were registered outside of Finland and traveling from Estonia The investigation into the collision is ongoing, and it could take up to a year, authorities saidMultiple people are dead after two helicopters collided and crashed near an airport, leaving no survivors. A total of five people died in the incident — which took place in Kauttua, Eura, near the Eura Airport in southwestern Finland — on Saturday, May 17, according to an official news release from Finland's National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). According to flight plans, there were two people on board one of the helicopters and three in the other, Finnish police said. Both aircraft were destroyed in the collision and subsequent crash. An emergency call reported the collision to police at around 12:35 p.m. local time, and first responders arrived 'quickly' at the scene of the accident, according to the NBI. All five passengers were pronounced dead at the scene, authorities later revealed in a press conference held on Sunday, May 18, per Estonian Public Broadcasting. The NBI did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Sunday, May 18. The crash site, a wooded area, has since been isolated, police said, adding that the helicopters were located a little over 300 feet apart from each other. Both helicopters involved in the crash were civil and registered outside of Finland, police said. They were traveling from Tallinn, Estonia, to Piikajärvi in Kokemäki, according to the NBI. (The Piikajärvi Airport is located about 9.3 miles from the Eura Airport.) Finnish and Estonian authorities are now 'working closely together in response to the accident,' Johannes Siirilä, detective chief inspector of the NBI, said in an official statement. The NBI is also cooperating with the Southwestern Finland Police Department on the investigation, the bureau said. Police are currently investigating the details of the helicopters and the crash itself. The Safety Investigation Authority is also conducting its own investigation at the crash site, per the NBI. The NBI's Robin Lardot said that the investigation is currently focused on the distance maintained between the two aircraft, as well as their altitude at the moment of the fatal May 17 collision, Estonian Public Broadcasting reported. What is left of the two helicopters — which were revealed to be Robinson R-44 models — have been sent to the city of Turku for investigation, according to the Estonia outlet. Autopsies of the five victims will also take place in the Finnish city. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Though Finnish authorities declined to comment on the identities of the deceased, Estonian Public Broadcasting identified three of the crash victims as businessmen Oleg Sõnajalg and couple Priit and Lilit Jaagant. As for the cause of the crash, Tiina Bieber with the Finnish Safety Investigation Authority said investigators cannot say whether it was human error or malfunction, per Estonian Public Broadcasting. Bieber also said that the investigation could take nine months to a year. Read the original article on People
