Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, Helibrook, hit with fresh charges from WorkSafe NT over fatal crash

Netflix star Matt Wright and his company have been slapped with fresh charges arising out of a fatal chopper crash that killed his mate and co-star. LATEST.

NT WorkSafe has charged Outback Wrangler Matt Wright and his commercial helicopter company Helibrook Pty Ltd with breaching work health and safety laws.

The company and its director were charged with continuing to use unsafe aircraft in the lead-up to the death of Chris “Willow” Wilson in February, 2022.

Mr Willow died after a Helibrook Robinson R44 helicopter crashed while he was collecting crocodile eggs.

The pilot, Sebastian Robinson, was also seriously injured as a result of the crash, leading NT WorkSafe to begin investigations into the incident.

NT WorkSafe claim to have found sufficient evidence to allege Helibrook Pty Ltd and Mr Wright engaged in conduct intended to falsify the number of flight hours accrued by the aircraft.

Matt Wright faces fresh charges from NT WorkSafe. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The allegations include interfering with the Hobbs meters, which record flight time, and also not accurately recording flight times across the fleet’s maintenance release.

NT WorkSafe alleges this conduct would have impacted the regular inspection and replacement of the aircraft’s life-limited components.

In doing so, NT WorkSafe alleges the airworthiness of the aircraft would have come into question, and the health and safety of pilots and passengers would also have been at risk each time a Helibrook fleet aircraft was used.

Helibrook Pty Ltd was on Thursday charged with two counts of reckless conduct for failing in its work health and safety duties.

NT WorkSafe also charged Mr Wright with two counts of reckless conduct under Section 31 of the Work Heath and Safety Act for allegedly failing in his duties as an officer.

In a statement, NT WorkSafe said the exact cause of the helicopter crash had not yet been determined by “any regulatory agency”, there was “insufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case to lay charges in relation to the crash at this point in time”.

If found guilty of all charges, the company faces a maximum combined penalty of $6m, while Mr Wright could face up to $1.2m in fines, five years in prison, or both.

In a statement, Mr Wright claimed the WorkSafe press release was “misleading with respect to the findings of regulatory agencies relating to this incident”.

“In its statement NT WorkSafe said ‘the exact cause of the helicopter crash has not been determined by any regulatory agency’,” he said.

“This is despite the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, Australia’s national transport safety investigator and federal government body responsible for investigating the cause of transport-related accidents producing both a draft and final report into the accident.

“The ATSB report found that the external contractor pilot didn’t refuel the helicopter, resulting in fuel exhaustion and had cocaine derivatives in his system.

“If someone crashed a car and killed someone and they had cocaine derivatives in their system they would in most cases be charged immediately, so it’s still unclear why no charges have been laid in relation to the crash itself.

“I will consider the charges relating to workplace health and safety laws brought today and respond in due course.”

He will face the Darwin Local Court on February 27 on the WorkSafe charges.