Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright has burned through a staggering $2 million fighting the legal system following the fatal Arnhem Land helicopter crash — and changed nothing. Now, new evidence reveals pilot Sebastian Robinson was in the air operating Wright’s helicopter the day before the fatal accident, despite toxicology reports showing he had traces of cocaine in his system, new evidence reveals.
Mr Robinson admitted to past cocaine use, however a court was told that the drug played no role in the accident that killed Chris Wilson.
Accounts from witnesses including two egg collectors, and logbooks obtained by news.com.au, trace Robinson’s movements back to the critical 24 hours leading up to the disaster – showing the aircraft was actively used for a multi-hour flight following a late-night sighting at a social gathering on February 27, 2022.
The timeline begins in the early hours of that Sunday morning, at a social gathering in Virginia, 30 kilometres southeast of Darwin. Mr Robinson attended the social gathering.
Later that same morning, a commercial crocodile egg collection mission was scheduled to depart. However, the other two crew members assigned to the mission detailed how the trip was pushed back.
According to a crew member, Mr Robinson sent a text message advising he had been in bed and pushed back the take-off time back into the afternoon.
The helicopter, a Robinson R44 with the registration VH-IDW, eventually took off from the Darwin hangar around 2pm.
According to Matt Wright’s former lawyer, David Newey, who spoke with the other egg collector, Mr Robinson conducted all the flying that afternoon, operating the aircraft for approximately three hours.
News.com.au confirmed with the egg collector that the mission indeed took place.
While out collecting eggs, one of the crewmen claims Mr Robinson told him he had had a big night though the crew member noted the pilot’s behaviour during the flight did not appear abnormal.
The crew finished operations and returned to their base shack at approximately 6pm. Upon landing, the helicopter was refuelled.
Inspection forms for VH-IDW show a signed entry for three hours of flying in the folder of daily inspection forms.
When contacted by news.com.au Wright said he was aware the three men flew the chopper on the Sunday but was not aware of the gathering or any allegations of drug use until a year after the accident.
He said he had a known strong stance against drugs.
The following morning, Monday, February 28, 2022, the same helicopter departed on the fateful egg collection mission.
The aircraft’s engine failed mid-flight, with the ATSB concluding the crash was likely caused by fuel exhaustion. Based on fuel samples and other evidence, the ATSB found the helicopter had likely not been refuelled at a fuel depot between Darwin and the crocodile egg collection area it had been travelling to, and the pilot had not identified the reducing fuel state.
The ATSB investigation found that during the subsequent emergency landing, the pilot released the hooks and the 30-metre sling line. The height of the release—which occurred above nine metres—was “likely not survivable” for egg collector Chris “Willow” Wilson, who plunged to his death.
Mr Robinson survived the subsequent impact with the ground but sustained injuries resulting in permanent paraplegia.
Blood samples collected from Mr Robinson between six hours 13 minutes and seven hours 48 minutes after the accident tested positive for benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester.
When later giving evidence in the NT Supreme Court regarding his past, Mr Robinson stated, “I’ve used cocaine before… I used to use it, you know, recreationally, maybe a couple of times a year.”
Mr Robinson has not been charged with any offence.
Matt Wright, the owner of the helicopter involved in the fatal crash, served five months in jail after being convicted of two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice over his actions in the aftermath.
He revealed in the new documentary Outback Wrangler: The Search for Answers that he has dropped the appeal against his criminal convictions, revealing he has already burned through a staggering $2 million fighting the legal system.
Despite this, he is no closer to answers — and has vowed to keep fighting for them regardless.
The official police investigation has been officially shut down — with no finding on what actually caused the fatal downing.
Wright revealed he will represent himself in the upcoming civil case where he is being sued by Wilson’s wife over her husband’s death.
Veteran pilot Mick Burbidge, who was first at the horrific scene and Wilson’s best friend, said: “I believe if you’re investigating something, you should investigate it with both eyes open and follow it all the way down whatever rabbit hole you think it may go. It’s just what Christopher would want.”
Wright’s wife Kaia said: “What was meant to be an investigation into the cause of the crash turned into an investigation into Matt Wright that provided no answers to the cause of the crash.
“It’s not a want for anyone else to suffer; it’s actually a want for the truth to be out there.”
The NT courts said there has been no decision made on whether a coronial inquest into the cause of the accident will be held.
For more on the case – and never before seen interviews with key players in the NT, watch Outback Wrangler: The Fight for Answers on the news.com.au YouTube channel.