He was being transported by a helicopter in a sling, en route to collect crocodile eggs in the remote King River region of Arnhem Land. The pilot, who was identified as Sebastian Robinson, is now a paraplegic.
The February 2022 crash isn't alleged to have been caused by Wright. Instead, he denies three offences, including attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Tearful Testimony, Accusations of Naiveté
Wilson, who started hunting for crocodile eggs shortly after Burns in the early 2000s, was "sort of" friends with him, too, said Burns.
He became emotional while giving evidence, recounting how he had flown to the crash site with Wright soon after the incident and remained at Wilson's side before accompanying his body back to Darwin on a CareFlight helicopter Actually breaking down as he gave evidence – noting in addition to flying out with Wright right after the accident, and not leaving Wilson until they were taken away. By that night, Burns had gin Wveilson's phone to his parents.
The charges against Wright relate to allegedly falsifying helicopter maintenance records, Crown Prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC told jurors.
The court was told by the aviation authorities that Wright refused to provide a vital maintenance release form when requested, and allegedly directed others to destroy it (with words to the effect of "just torch it").
Gullaci also claimed Wright had visited Robinson in hospital and offered him covert rewards if he falsified records, asking him to prove flight hours for a different helicopter in a bid to distract the focus from the one that crashed. Robinson, however, reportedly refused.
The Defence refutes the allegations and raises concerns over the credibility of a witness.
Wright denied ever requesting that the flight data be illegally altered, or that he directed another to destroy the maintenance document, defence lawyer David Edwardson KC told The Australian.
He said the original was displayed to an official from an aviation authority at Wright's home, and a Mrs. Wright — not referred to as his wife — had subsequently provided it by e-mailing a scanned copy.
He also said key witnesses, including Robinson and other family members, had credibility issues.
Alteration of flight-hour data was a common but unregulated practice among helicopter operators in the Northern Territory, with their flight meters also often disconnected to extend flying hours, he said.
The trial in Darwin, before Acting Justice Allan Blow, is set down for four weeks with both prosecution and defence to be heard on evidence surrounding an alleged after-the-fact cover-up in the days following the fatal crash.
