NT safety watchdog probing Outback Wrangler star’s death

The Northern Territory’s workplace safety watchdog has launched an investigation into the horrific helicopter crash that killed reality television star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson.

Civil engineer and Northern Territory identity Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson, 34, a cast member of ­National Geographic’s TV show Outback Wrangler, was strapped into a harness attached to a 30m line to collect crocodile eggs when a Robinson R44 helicopter crashed 30km south of South Goulburn Island in February. Picture: Outback Wrangler

The Northern Territory’s workplace safety watchdog has launched an investigation into the horrific helicopter crash that killed reality television star Chris “Willow” Wilson and led to a veteran cop being charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Wilson – a cast member of ­National Geographic’s Outback Wrangler – died in a chopper crash on the King River, in a remote part of West Arnhem Land, on February 28.

The 34-year-old was strapped into a harness attached to a 30m line to collect crocodile eggs when the Robinson R44 helicopter crashed 30km south of South Goulburn Island.

The downed helicopter was operated by Helibrook, which is the company of prominent influencer, tourism operator and Outback Wrangler host Matt Wright.

Wilson, a long-time friend and colleague of Mr Wright, appeared alongside him on Outback Wrangler for more than a decade.

The show is watched in more than 100 countries.

Since its initial assessment, NT WorkSafe has determined that the “serious incident” possibly resulted from potential breaches of duty under work health and safety laws.

The crashed helicopter in which Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson died.

NT WorkSafe inspectors have also issued prohibition notices to all companies involved in the harvesting of crocodile eggs in the Northern Territory, prohibiting the practice of collecting crocodile eggs from the wild by transporting workers suspended from a helicopter via a sling.

Its investigators are now focused on what processes, pro­cedures and safe systems of work the company had in place at the time of Wilson’s death and whether these were followed.

If its investigation determines breaches occurred, the regulator will consider prosecution, with possible offences ranging up to industrial man­slaughter, which carries the penalty of life imprison­ment for an individual or, for a business, a $10,075,000 fine.

This comes after senior NT police officer Sergeant Neil Mellon was in August charged with 31 criminal offences, including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice – which carries a 15-year jail sentence – and the destruction of evidence in relation to a major crash investigation.

The Australian last week revealed those alleged offences are connected to the chopper crash that killed his friend Wilson.

The Australian also last week revealed that Sergeant Mellon had flown to the crash site – while off-duty – and retrieved his friend’s body, took photos and established the incident scene while waiting for emergency services to arrive.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s preliminary report found the accident happened about 9.10am.

Police were advised of the crash – about 500km east of Darwin – shortly before 11am and dispatched the nearest officers at Goulburn Island to attend the location, which was several hours away by boat.

A CareFlight helicopter arrived on site about 12.30pm and flew pilot Sebastian Robinson to hospital with critical injuries. The 28-year-old survived.

The Fordham Company, which produces Outback Wrangler, said it was unaware of the NT WorkSafe investigation.

Mr Wright’s manager, Nick Fordham, declined to comment on the crash investigation or on the charges laid against Sergeant Mellon.

“As this is a police investigation, we are not in a position to make comment,” he said. “Clearly a process will take its course and we need to respect that.”

An NT police spokesman said the major crash investigation was ongoing and police would prepare a report for the coroner.

An NT Courts spokesman said a decision on whether to hold an inquest into Wilson’s death had not been made.

The ATSB’s preliminary report revealed that the R44 Raven II registered VH-IDW – which Wilson was on board – was one of three Robinson R44 helicopters on the egg collection mission.

About 7am, the three helicopters departed from Noonamah and flew for about 90 minutes to a fuel-drum site. However, there were no accurate records of fuel uplift for VH-IDW.

The helicopters departed from the drum site about 8.30am and tracked to the King River staging area, where the crews prepared to begin egg collection operations.

About 9am, the other two helicopters departed the staging area to commence collecting eggs about 12km to the northeast while Wilson and Mr Robinson planned to start the egg collection at a nest nearby.

By 10.14am, the crews operating to the northeast realised they had not heard from Wilson or Mr Robinson since departing the staging area and one of the pilots returned to look for them.

At 10.36am, he located the wreckage of VH-IDW in a paperbark swamp just 300m from the staging area.

Wilson was found dead about 40m from the main wreckage.

“The long line attachment rings were not connected to the helicopter cargo hooks,” the ATSB report said.

“Although the pilot reported they had been wearing the four-point seat restraint, the pilot had egressed the helicopter and lay beside it.”

The two helicopters used for sling operations were fitted with dual external cargo hooks, which attached to rings on a 30m line that enabled the egg collector to be slung 30m below the helicopter to access the nests.

Outback Wrangler, Matt Wright (left), was among the pall bearers for his mate, Chris “Willow” Wilson, at the Darwin Convention Centre. Picture: Glenn Campbell

The line could be released by the pilot via a quick release system for the cargo hooks.

The cargo hooks were fitted with primary and back-up dual quick release systems, to reduce the likelihood of inadvertent pilot activation and provide redundancy in case of failure.

The ATSB’s report stated that a handheld emergency position indicating radio beacon and the helicopter’s emergency locator transmitter, which was not mounted in the installed airframe rack or armed in case of emergency, were found in the helicopter and neither had been activated to alert rescue personnel at the time of the accident.

The ATSB’s examination indicated the aircraft’s engine stopped before the chopper hit the ground but there were no defects likely to result in engine failure at the time.

Investigators subsequently drained about 250ml of blue fuel from the main tank’s bladder.

The two fuel bladder tanks were intact despite breaches of the surrounding metal tanks and there was no fire.

The preliminary report stated the investigation was still yet to examine the electronic and fuel system components retrieved from the accident site, refuelling practices, fuel quality, maintenance records, operational documentation, regulations, and survivability aspects.

The ATSB told The Australian its investigation was ongoing and its final report was expected to be released by the end of the year.

Its investigation is separate and independent of the police investigation and is solely for purposes of improving transport safety.

Wilson, who also features in the Nine Network’s new series Matt Wright’s Wild Territory, left behind his wife, Danielle, and two young sons. His family declined to comment.

Sergeant Mellon, 47, who joined NT police in 1995, has been suspended from work without pay. He is due to appear in Darwin Local Court on September 22.