Charges dropped for Hewitt Cattle Australia in fatal Ambalindum Station helicopter crash
Charges against the boss of a Queensland-based agricultural company for a historic helicopter crash in the NT have been dropped.
Alice Springs
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Charges against the boss of a Queensland-based agricultural company over a fatal helicopter crash have been withdrawn.
Hewitt Cattle Australia chief executive Michael Hewitt was charged for failing to comply with a duty of care, after 47-year-old pilot Campbell Taylor was killed and a 24-year-old passenger seriously injured in the 2018 crash at Ambalindum Station.
Chief operating officer Ben Hewitt was also charged.
All charges and complaints have since been dropped after NT WorkSafe accepted an enforceable undertaking for Michael.
Enforceable undertakings are activities legally required to be done as an alternative to prosecution through the courts.
Mr Hewitt will be legally required to take part in a range of activities to promote and improve safety systems both within the company, wider agricultural industry and the community.
These include running a training program with other managers to increase knowledge about safety, present at a Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association or similar forum to increase knowledge on workplace safety compliance and funding a feasibility study on a dedicated Alice Springs emergency response aircraft.
It is expected the total cost of these activities will be $55,000, including $50,000 to the community.
Since the crash, the company has reportedly spent $1m in upgrades to safety within their aerial operations.
NT WorkSafe executive director Peggy Cheong said the company’s commitment to improving safety procedures was commendable.
“The enforceable undertaking will further assist officers in understanding their duty under the Act with respect to ensuring that safe systems of work are implemented in the workplace,” she said.
“It is a timely reminder and message for officers to be aware of their obligations to not only have safe work systems but to ensure that such systems are actioned and implemented as part of their duty under the Act.”
It is the cheapest enforceable undertaking accepted by NT WorkSafe in the past two years.
In 2020 the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics was handed a $1.3m undertaking after a fatal crash involving traffic diversions.
Hewitt Cattle Australia have been contacted for comment.
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