Matt Wright accuses police of overlooking evidence in helicopter crash investigation
Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright has revealed what he believes caused the helicopter crash that killed his friend and co-star Chris Wilson in 2022, accusing police of ignoring crucial evidence.
Wright is facing seven charges regarding his conduct after the fatal crash, including attempting to pervert the course of justice, fabrication of evidence and destruction of evidence.
Chris “Willow” Wilson was killed on February 28, 2022, while collecting crocodile eggs in a remote area of West Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
The 34-year-old had been suspended in a sling from a helicopter when the aircraft crashed, resulting in his death.
Sebastian Robinson, the pilot of the Robinson R44 helicopter suffered severe spinal injuries from the crash.
In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Wright revealed the ongoing police investigation is “focusing on picking apart my life and business” rather than the events leading to the fatal crash.
“I do seriously wonder why the NT Police are not focusing on whether the helicopter was refuelled and the fact the toxicology report reveals the detection of cocaine derivatives in the pilot’s blood sample,” he said.
No one has been charged for Wilson’s death, and Wright has “strenuously” denied any wrongdoing.
Wright previously claimed that Mr Robinson’s blood sample tested positive for cocaine and that has been supported by a letter sent by his lawyer David Newey to Senior Crown prosecutor Steven Ledek.
The letter was used as evidence during a court hearing in relation to Wright’s charges in Darwin in April 2023, highlighting information contained in the prosecution’s brief of evidence.
Wright told the publication he recently learned Mr Robsinson, the pilot who was externally contracted for the flight, “was at a party into the early hours of the day before the crash, where people were using cocaine”.
A man who wished to remain anonymous told The Sunday Telegraph that he was introduced to Mr Robinson at a party in Virginia, 30km southeast of Darwin, two nights before the crash.
The outlet reported he came forward after hearing about the toxicology report being referred to in the court case.
Wright described the new revelations as “extremely concerning”, especially given the references to the toxicology report in court, and said if he were aware of what it suggests occurred before the flight “it never would have taken off”.
He also said the preliminary Australian Transport Safety Bureau report suggested the helicopter was not refuelled en route to the egg collection. He believes that is likely what caused the crash.
The helicopter was expected to leave Darwin and refuel at Mr Borradaile on the way to a preparation area near King River in Arnhem Land, where it would land, attach the sling and connect a person before beginning the egg collection.
Wright told The Sunday Telegraph his Darwin fuel stations use “blue fuel” but the station at Mt Borradaile near the crash site used “green”. The colour indicates lead levels. It was reported that the fuel at Mt Borradaile was provided by a third party company involved in egg collections.
The ATSB report said investigators drained “about 250ml of blue fuel from the main tank’s bladder” following the crash.
“This makes me question whether the helicopter was refuelled at Mount Borradaile and whether it was fuel exhaustion that caused the crash,” Wright told the outlet.
A pilot flying another helicopter joining the fatal mission told the Australian there was “no possible way” fuel exhaustion caused the crash because he filled the crashed R44’s tank himself at a fuel-drum site near Mt Borradaile shortly before the crash.
Tim Luck said he flew from Noonamah to the drum site with another pilot and saw Mr Wilson filling up the tank. He also noted he jumped out and took over pumping.
“I’m 100 per cent sure that machine was filled to the top,” he said.
However, Mr Wright said Mr Luck was not “authorised or trained in refuelling helicopters” as that responsibility, he said, was up to the pilot in command.
The Sunday Telegraph obtained a photo which appears to show Wilson sitting in the right-side pilot’s seat with the helicopter’s controls in his hands. Wright said the picture shows Wilson flying the aircraft in the pilot’s seat and Robinson sitting on the left, with both of his feet off the pedals.
“This was a commercial flight, the pilot was not an instructor and Chris Wilson did not have a commercial helicopter licence,” he said.
According to The Sunday Telegraph, the image is time stamped at 7:43am, 40 minutes after the aircraft left Darwin, and appears to show the fuel gauge indicating the tank was about three quarters full. It was an estimated 90 minute flight from Darwin to fuel the drums.
He was not blaming Wilson, describing him as a “true legend” in tributes on social media, for being behind the controls, but could not understand why the “pilot went against protocol”.
NT Police said in a statement they were “continuing to investigate all matters relating to this incident”.
The ATSB’s final report into the cause of the crash is set for release by September 2023.
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