Secret recordings of reality TV star Matt Wright will played during his long-awaited trial on charges following a fatal helicopter crash.
The trial began on Wednesday, more than three years after Wright’s mate and Outback Wrangler 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.
After many delays, the trial finally began 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 the Crown did not allege that Wright was responsible for it, the death of Wilson or Robinson’s injuries, Gullaci said.
He said the Crown case was that 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.
Jurors were told that the evidence would include covertly recorded conversations of Wright and others at his home and on his phone, using secret listening devices.
Wilson died doing something “incredibly brave”, dangling from a helicopter to collect crocodile eggs along the King River in Arnhem Land, Gullaci said.
Wilson and Robinson were working for Wright as subcontractors to lawfully collect the eggs for sale to crocodile farms.
On the day of the crash, Wright was fully aware there would be investigations by aviation safety authorities and Northern Territory Police, leading to possible charges, Gullaci said.
The Crown alleges Wright attempted to provide false information to investigators, manipulated records and avoided procuring relevant documents when required.
Wright was the chief pilot, CEO and head of flight operations at his company Helibrook, Gullaci said.
As holder of an air-operating certificate, he was required to abide by all Australian civil aviation regulations and had a duty to ensure safe air operations.
The Robinson R44 helicopter involved in the crash 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 the number of hours, including evidence that a particular meter was deliberately disconnected so it wouldn’t record hours, 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 ended up being 2640 hours flown and that affected the chopper’s airworthiness, Gullaci said.
The trial continues.
-AAP
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