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“Outback Wrangler” star Matt Wright has been found guilty on two counts relating to a 2022 helicopter crash in Arnhem Land, a verdict he says he plans to appeal.
Wright, who had pleaded not guilty to three charges, was convicted on accusations of asking the crash pilot to falsify flight records and of lying to police to obstruct the investigation, but no verdict was reached on whether he had allegedly perverted the course of justice on a third occasion.
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The jury deadlocked on the third count, which related to whether Wright had allegedly told an associate to destroy the helicopter’s maintenance records, and was subsequently discharged.
Speaking to media outside the courthouse, Wright said he was “disappointed” in the verdict, and said the case was “devastating for everyone involved”.
“It’s been a long fight and we’ve got an appeal in process now, and we’ll keep moving forward with this,” he said, as reported by the ABC.
The incident took place in 2022 in remote West Arnhem Land and killed Chris “Willow” Wilson and seriously injured pilot Sebastian Robinson. Wilson was suspended underneath the Robinson R44 helicopter on a 30-metre sling during a crocodile egg collecting mission.
The ATSB said in its report that during the autorotation emergency forced landing procedure that followed, the pilot, Robinson, released the hooks and sling line carrying Wilson “above a height that would likely be survivable”.
The helicopter subsequently hit the ground without enough energy from the main rotor to cushion the landing, causing Robinson severe spinal injuries.
Wilson’s widow Danielle told media she respected the court’s decision and said a “thorough criminal investigation” had been conducted.
“It has been about the conviction of an individual who attempted to pervert the course of justice, and in doing so denied a complete, thorough and unimpeded investigation into the crash – an investigation that could have provided my two young sons with the answers that they so much deserve,” she said.
Wright has been released on bail, with Acting Justice Alan Blow noting that he would otherwise normally have been taken into custody but for the likely appeal and for a question of law reserved for further decision.
“It would ordinarily be my practice to remand in custody at this stage on an offence of this seriousness and leave it to the defendant to institute an appeal and apply for appeal bail, but this is a different situation,” said Acting Justice Blow.
“In effect, I’m asked to grant appeal bail and I think that’s the preferable course, just, so bail is enlarged on the same terms and conditions.”
Australian Aviation previously reported how CASA was seeking the dismissal of a lawsuit against it over the death of Wilson.
The case brought by Danielle Wilson in the Federal Court also involved Helibrook – the operator of the R44 – and its owner Wright.
CASA lost its attempt to be struck out of the lawsuit, with Wilson saying in May that Justice Elizabeth Raper ruled she still has an “arguable case” against the regulator.
