Netflix star Matt Wright charged with falsifying flight hours, facing imprisonment
Celebrity croc-wrangler and Netflix star Matt Wright has been charged by the NT’s workplace safety watchdog with falsifying the number of flight hours accrued by his aircraft.
Celebrity croc-wrangler and Netflix star Matt Wright has been charged by the NT’s workplace safety watchdog with falsifying the number of flight hours accrued by his aircraft.
NT WorkSafe on Thursday charged Mr Wright and his company Helibrook Pty Ltd with breaching NT work health and safety laws over their alleged failures to maintain a safe aircraft and allegedly allowing an aircraft to be operated when unsafe.
The high-profile helicopter crash, which occurred in February 2022, happened during a crocodile egg collecting mission in a remote part of West Arnhem Land, a vast wilderness area in the northeast corner of the Northern Territory.
Helibrook Pty Ltd and Mr Wright have each been charged with two counts of reckless conduct.
The crash resulted in the death of Chris “Willow” Wilson, who was on the sling line, while his pilot Sebastian Robinson sustained severe spinal injuries and is now paraplegic.
Since the crash of the aircraft, which has the registration of VH-IDW, two other people have been criminally charged.
The Australian revealed in January NT WorkSafe was still investigating the crash to determine whether any breaches of work health and safety laws had occurred.
Mr Wright, star of reality television shows Outback Wrangler and Wild Croc Territory, is a director of company Helibrook which owned and operated the destroyed Robinson R44 Raven II which collided with terrain soon after take-off from a staging area on the King River, 30km south of South Goulburn Island, on February 28 2022.
In a statement, a spokesperson said “sufficient evidence” had been found during NT WorkSafe’s investigation.
Video: Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright looks anxious as he walks through the Sydney domestic airport terminal before boarding his flight to Darwin.
— Liam Mendes (@liammendes) November 28, 2022
He is expected to face serious charges related to the February chopper crash that killed cast member Chris “Willow†Wilson. pic.twitter.com/o8HGgf7N1B
“NT WorkSafe’s investigation has found sufficient evidence to allege Helibrook Pty Ltd and Mr Wright engaged in conduct intended to falsify the actual number of flight hours accrued by the aircraft in the Helibrook fleet over an extended period of time,” a statement said.
It is alleged the Hobbs Meters, which record the time an aircraft is in use, had been interfered with and flight times had not been accurately recorded in the aircraft’s Maintenance Release.
“NT WorkSafe alleges this conduct would have impacted the regular inspection and replacement of the aircrafts life-limited components that may have been critical to the airworthiness of the aircraft, therefore placing at risk the health and safety of the pilots and passengers each time aircraft from the Helibrook fleet was used,” the statement reads.
“If found guilty of all charges, Helibrook Pty Ltd faces a maximum combined penalty of $6 million, while Mr Wright faces a maximum combined penalty of $1.2 million or five years imprisonment or both.
“Charges for failing to comply with health and safety duties have also been laid against both defendants as alternatives to the reckless conduct charges,”
In November 2022 Mr Wright was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice, destroying evidence, fabricating evidence, unlawfully entering a building, unlawfully entering a dwelling, making a false declaration and interfering with witnesses in a criminal investigation or court process by making threats/reprisals.
He is expected to stand trial this later this year.
In December pilot Michael Burbidge pleaded guilty to destroying evidence, with three other charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice, making a false declaration and fabricating evidence withdrawn.
Former police officer Neil Mellon also pleaded guilty to destroying evidence by way of destroying a mobile phone.
In a statement, Mr Wright said he was considering the charges and will “respond in due course”.
He will face Darwin Local Court on February 27.
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