Outback Wrangler Matt Wright opens up about the crash that took Chris Wilson’s life
In an exclusive interview, reality TV star Matt Wright has broken his silence on what he believes caused the outback Australian helicopter crash that took the life of his mate Chris Wilson.
NSW
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Outback Wrangler Matt Wright has accused Northern Territory Police of ignoring crucial evidence that shows a series of safety rules were broken in the lead up to a deadly flight.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Telegraph Wright has broken his silence on what he believes caused the crash that took the life of Chris Wilson.
Mr Wright is facing seven charges arising from alleged conduct that occurred after the crash last February that killed his friend and co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, fabrication of evidence and destruction of evidence.
No one has been charged in relation to Mr Wilson’s death.
The reality TV star said “current investigations are focusing on picking apart my life and businesses” rather than the immediate events leading up to the crash.
“I do seriously wonder why the NT Police are not focusing on whether the helicopter was refuelled and the fact the toxicology report reveals the detection of cocaine derivatives in the pilot’s blood sample.”
Mr Wright told the Sunday Telegraph “there is now enough information to piece it all together”.
A letter sent by Mr Wright’s lawyer, David Newey, was tendered as evidence during a court hearing in Darwin last month at which his lawyers sought more information about the charges against him.
The letter, that was sent to Senior Crown Prosecutor Steven Ledek, outlined information contained in the prosecution’s brief of evidence.
According to the letter the brief includes “a toxicology report of the pilot’s blood sample taken after the crash which records the detection of cocaine derivatives in the pilot’s blood sample”.
Sebastian Robinson, 29, was flying the Robinson R44 helicopter with the call signal VH-IDW that crashed during a crocodile egg collecting mission on February 28, 2022.
Mr Robinson suffered serious spinal injuries in the crash. Mr Wilson died at the scene.
The letter tendered to the court says the brief also includes “an interview with Mr Robinson where he was cautioned by the police that investigations concerned possible manslaughter charges and charges that persons were responsible for death and harm that resulted from the accident involving VH-IDW”.
Mr Robinson has not been charged with any offences.
Mr Wright said he recently learned that the externally contracted pilot “was at a party into the early hours of the day before the crash, where people were using cocaine”.
“These new revelations are extremely concerning, especially given the references in court to the contents of the pilot’s toxicology report.”
The Sunday Telegraph has spoken to a man, on the condition of anonymity, who said he was at a party in Virginia, 30km south east of Darwin, two nights before the crash and was introduced to Mr Robinson.
“He introduced himself to me inside the party,” the man said, adding he had not met Mr Robinson prior to that night but knew who he was before he was introduced.
“I knew who he was and that he was a pilot, it’s a small community,” he said.
He came forward after hearing about the toxicology report being referred to in the court case.
Mr Wright says if he had been aware of what the toxicology report suggests prior to the flight “it never would have taken off”.
Mr Wright also said the preliminary ATSB report suggested the helicopter was not refuelled on route to the egg collection as it should have been.
Mr Wright claims the evidence points to the helicopter running out of fuel, which he believes is the likely cause of the crash.
The crocodile egg collecting trip on February 28 left from Darwin to collect eggs near King River in Arnhem Land. The helicopter had blue fuel in it.
The trip plan involved refuelling at Mt Borradaile on the way to a preparation area near King River where they would land the helicopter, hook up the sling, connect a person to it and start egg collecting.
The fuel at Mt Borradaile was provided by a third party company involved in the egg collections.
“Put simply, all of my refuelling places in Darwin use blue fuel, and the fuel at the refuelling station at Mt Borradaile near the crash site was green,” Mr Wright says.
The colour relates to the level of lead.
The interim ATSB report says “ATSB investigators subsequently drained about 250ml of blue fuel from the main tank’s bladder”.
“This raises questions over whether the helicopter was refuelled as it should have been,” he said.
The same preliminary ATSB report also found that “the engine and associated components were taken to CASA-authorised maintenance facilities for examination under supervision of the ATSB. The examinations did not identify defects of the engine likely to result in engine stoppage.”
Mr Wright said “this makes me question whether the helicopter was refuelled at Mount Borradaile, and whether it was fuel exhaustion that caused the crash”.
Tim Luck, who was in one of three helicopters on the mission that morning, has said there was “no possible way” fuel exhaustion had caused the crash because he filled up the destroyed chopper’s tank himself shortly before they set off to find crocodile nests.
He told The Australian newspaper his recollection of refuelling VH-IDW’s tank at a fuel-drum site near Mount Borradaile about half an hour before the crash was clear.
Luck said he flew from Noonamah to the drum site with another pilot. When they landed, Wilson was already topping up VH-IDW’s tank.
“I jumped out of our machine, went straight over there and took over pumping and I filled VH-IDW to the top,” he said. “I’m 100 per cent sure that machine was filled to the top.”
In response, Mr Wright said Mr Luck was not “authorised or trained in refuelling helicopters” which was the responsibility of the pilot in command.
“The helicopter had adequate fuel to travel to Mt Borradaile, where additional fuel was stored and available for use,” Mr Wright said, adding “the fact the ATSB found that the main fuel tanks were intact and drained 250ml of blue fuel makes it seem even more likely the crash could have been caused by fuel exhaustion”.
The Sunday Telegraph has obtained a photo which appears to show Mr Wilson with the helicopter controls in his hands. The pilot seat is on the right with pedals on both sides.
Mr Wright alleges the picture shows Mr Wilson on the right, flying the helicopter, holding the controls in his hands. He says the photo shows Mr Robinson sitting on the left, with his feet off the pedals.
“This was a commercial flight, the pilot was not an instructor and Chris Wilson did not have a commercial helicopter licence,” Mr Wright said.
While stressing he was not blaming Mr Wilson for being behind the controls he could not understand why the rules were not followed and the “pilot went against protocol”.
The photo is time stamped 7.43am, which is 40 minutes after the flight left Darwin and appears to show the fuel gauge indicating the tank was about three-quarters full. It was an estimated 90 minute flight from Darwin to the fuel drums.
Mr Robinson has been contacted for comment.
NT Police said in a statement this week they were “continuing to investigate all matters relating to this incident”.
The ATSB’s final report into the cause of the crash is due for release by September.
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