Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright has been found guilty of conspiring to cover up details of the helicopter crash that killed his best mate, and could be jailed for up to 15 years.
On Friday, a Supreme Court jury in Darwin convicted Wright on two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice, but could not reach a verdict on a third charge after a four-week trial.
The Outback Wrangler star was accused of trying to cover up evidence following the February 2022 crash that killed his co-star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson and left pilot Sebastian Robinson a paraplegic.
The pair were on a crocodile-egg collecting mission in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, with Mr Wilson slung on a 30m line below the chopper to be dropped onto croc nests in remote swampland.
The Air Transport Safety Bureau concluded the helicopter ran out of fuel, causing the engine to shut down and the machine to crash to the ground.
Wright was found guilty of lying to crash investigators about the amount of fuel in the machine and of trying to get Mr Robinson to falsify flying hours.
A charge of asking a friend to ‘torch’ the helicopter’s maintenance release was dropped after the jury was unable to agree on a verdict about the allegation.
Wright gave an emotional statement after his conviction, saying he was ‘obviously disappointed in the verdict’ and confirmed that an appeal is already underway.
Matt Wright (pictured during the trial with wife Kaia)
Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson died collecting crocodile eggs while slung on a line beneath a helicopter
The helicopter (pictured) crashed during a crocodile egg-collecting mission in remote swampland in the Northern Territory, in February 2022
‘This has been a terrible and tragic process for everyone involved,’ he said. ‘There have been no winners out of it.
‘Willow’s family have lost a father, husband, son and brother. We’ve lost a best mate. Seb is seriously injured and in a wheelchair.
‘The ordeal has been incredibly tough on everyone and it’s always been hard to understand why the focus of these investigations have been solely on me and not into the cause of the crash.’
Wright sat impassively in the dock as the verdicts were delivered and his defence counsel said his client would appeal the verdicts.
He will be sentenced on October 6 but was granted bail despite the prosecution calling for him to be jailed because of the seriousness of the offences.
The charges against Wright did not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution did not allege he was responsible for the crash, Mr Wilson’s death or Mr Robinson’s injuries.
Prosecutors alleged Wright was worried investigators would learn his choppers’ flying-hour meters were regularly disconnected to extend flying hours beyond official thresholds and paperwork was falsified to match.
‘Chris Wilson lost his life that day, leaving a wife and young family,’ Crown Prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC told the jury.
Danielle Wilson, the widow of Wilson, said the decision marks an important step forward for the family
Wright will be sentenced on October 6 and faces being jailed
The crash and its aftermath emotionally impacted many people, including Wright and his wife Kaia, whose grief was evident.
‘None of these were crocodile tears, they were genuine,’ Mr Gullaci said.
The defence had mounted a ‘massive, full-frontal credit attack’ on Mr Robinson, targeting his cocaine use and whether he forgot to refuel the chopper causing it to fall out of the sky, Mr Gullaci said.
Danielle Wilson, the widow of Wilson, said the decision marks an important step forward for the family.
‘I acknowledge the work of the Northern Territory police force and the Northern Territory Department of Public Prosecution that has brought us to this point.
‘This has never been about theatrics inside or outside of the courtroom.
‘It has been about the conviction of an individual who attempted to pervert the course of justice, and in doing so, denied a complete, thorough and unimpeded investigation into the crash, an investigation that could have provided my two young sons with the answers that they so much deserve.
‘I recognise that the journey is not yet over. There remain outstanding matters, including charges with a WorkSafe jurisdiction a civil claim in the Federal Court of Australia, and the potential for a coronial inquest.
‘These processes are still ahead of us, and I know it will take time. Today’s decision is a significant step forward.
‘It brings us closer to ensuring that justice is served and that the truth of what happened is fully acknowledged.
‘My hope is that through this process, lessons are learned, accountability is upheld, and no other family has to endure the ongoing heartbreak that we have.’
