Fatal Outback Wrangler chopper crash timeline revealed

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright and six others stayed at the site of a fatal chopper crash for more than three hours before flying to the home of Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson – who had been killed – to see his distraught widow.

Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson with wife Danielle and sons Ted and Austin.

Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright and six others stayed at the site of a fatal chopper crash for more than three hours before flying to the home of Chris “Willow” Wilson – who had been killed – and seeing his distraught widow.

A detailed timeline of what happened the day celebrity croc-wrangler Wright’s famed chopper crashed in a remote part of the Northern Territory, killing cast member Wilson, can finally be ­revealed.

The Australian’s ongoing investigation into the helicopter incident and its aftermath has identified and corroborated – through authorities and multiple sources – the timing and movements of key people connected to the fatal crash at West Arnhem Land on February 28 last year.

Wilson – who starred on reality television show Outback Wrangler and features in a new Netflix series, Matt Wright’s Wild Territory – was killed when the Robinson R44 helicopter from which he was dangling crashed on the King River during a crocodile egg collecting mission in the middle of Darwin’s wet season.

The 34-year-old had been strapped into a harness attached to a 30m-long line when the chopper collided with terrain, soon after takeoff, about 30km south of South Goulburn Island.

The destroyed Raven II registered VH-IDW was owned by Wright’s company Helibrook and was one of three helicopters on the egg collecting mission. VH-IDW also features in every episode of Matt Wright’s Wild Territory.

About 7am on February 28, 2022, the three crews departed Noonamah and flew for about 90 minutes to a fuel-drum site near Mount Borradaile.

They all left the drum site about 8.30am and tracked to the King River staging area, where they prepared to commence egg collection operations.

At 9am, two crews departed the staging area to commence collecting eggs about 12km to the northeast while Wilson and pilot Sebastian Robinson planned to commence collecting eggs at a nest nearby.

On board the other two choppers were pilots Michael Burbidge and Ty Richardson, with egg collectors Jock Purcell, who is also a pilot, and Tim Luck.

About 10.14am, while having morning tea at a clearing, the foursome realised they had not heard from Wilson or Robinson for about 75 minutes so Burbidge, alone, returned to look for them.

Pilot Sebastian Robinson.

At 10.36am, Burbidge – director and chief pilot of Remote Helicopters Australia – located the wreckage of VH-IDW in a paperbark swamp 300m from the staging area.

The body of his best mate, Wilson, was about 40m from the main wreckage, while critically injured Robinson was lying in the water next to the downed chopper.

After reassuring the 28-year-old pilot, Burbidge returned to his helicopter and took off briefly to get mobile reception and call for help.

It is understood the 44-year-old called multiple people including Craig Moore, who was at Maningrida – working for Mick Burns and Wildlife Harvesting NT – looking after crocodile eggs, as well as Senior Constable Christopher Raeburn.

Burbidge then returned to the crash site, where he was joined by Purcell, Richardson and Luck.

About 11.08am, Constable Raeburn emailed the Territory Duty Superintendent and Water Police boss Senior Sergeant Sandi Mellon saying Burbidge had reported a fatal helicopter accident and provided its approximate co-­ordinates.

Upon seeing the email, Sergeant Mellon immediately phoned her off-duty police officer husband Neil Mellon – a highly experienced search and rescue co-ordinator – and told him about the crash, which happened to involve friends of the couple.

Mellon called his mate Wright, who was at his hangar – half an hour southeast of Darwin – preparing to fly to the crash site.

Mellon rushed over and jumped in Wright’s deep green chopper – registration VH-BEG – with him and Burns.

Burns, 60, is a Darwin publican who owns the crocodile-egg harvesting business and another business with Wilson.

The Australian understands the trio took off from Noonamah for West Arnhem Land about 11.30am. At 12.30pm, CareFlight arrived at the crash site.

The pilot dropped a medical crew near the destroyed chopper before landing on harder ground nearby.

The fatal crash site.

A nurse took photos of the scene, assessed Robinson and strapped him on to a stretcher.

Wright, Mellon and Burns approached the crash site about 12.40pm as the CareFlight pilot brought the helicopter back over to the swamp, hovered as Robinson was lifted on board and took off to Maningrida.

Wright landed his chopper on the spot where CareFlight had been hovering.

Meanwhile, Sandi Mellon, Kaia Wright and Jade Burbidge drove to Wilson’s home – south of Darwin – and broke the news of his death to his wife, Danielle.

Wright, Mellon, Burns, Burbidge, Purcell, Richardson and Luck stayed at the site until about 4pm when CareFlight returned and took Wilson’s body – accompanied by Burns – back to Darwin.

The six men – Purcell with Wright in one helicopter, Mellon with Burbidge in another and Richardson and Luck in a third chopper – then flew to Wilson’s property where some of their wives were waiting with his shocked and inconsolable wife.

At 6.12pm, NT police released a statement saying they had responded to a report of an air crash in a remote part of West Arnhem Land that day, in which one person was killed and another seriously injured.

It said police were advised of the crash shortly before 11am and dispatched the nearest officers at Goulburn Island to attend the location on King River, “several hours away by boat”.

“Authorities reached the site this afternoon and confirmed the death of a 34-year-old man. The survivor, a 28-year-old man, was transported to Royal Darwin Hospital,” said Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson.

NT police have since refused to confirm whether officers from Goulburn Island ever arrived at the location.

By the end of the day, the Major Crash Unit had launched an investigation to find out why Wilson was dead. The detectives’ first arrest, six months later, was of one of their own.

Since August, Mellon, Wright and Burbidge have been charged with serious criminal offences, including making false statements, destroying evidence and either conspiring or attempting to pervert the course of justice.

In court, Mellon’s lawyer has indicated he intends to enter early pleas. Outside court, Wright’s lawyer has said his client “strenuously” denies the charges.

Burbidge has not yet indicated how he will proceed. The three are due in court next week.