Under-siege TV celebrity Matt Wright has turned his back on his late Netflix co-host after the dead man’s wife sued him for millions.
In bombshell documents obtained by the Daily Mail, Wright claimed he had no duty of care to mate and Wild Croc Territory co-star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson, who died after the helicopter he was dangled 30m from crashed on February 28, 2022.
Mr Wilson had been suspended on a 100ft sling picking eggs from crocodile nests when the Robinson R44 helicopter owned by Wright crashed in West Arnhem Land, into a paperbark swamp near the King River.
He died after falling from his sling at a height of more than five metres, court documents state.
According to air safety stipulations, the risky operation can only be performed from a height no higher than five metres and the helicopter must travel at a ‘walking distance speed’.
Wilson’s wife Dani launched legal action against wild-animal catcher Wright, whom she blames for her husband’s death.
Dani, who also sued Wright’s recently liquidated company Helibrook, alleged the croc wrangler had an ‘obligation to take reasonable steps to ensure activity was conducted in appropriate circumstances and safely and legally’.
The widow’s claim highlighted ‘especially dangerous’ considerations, including a likely ‘inability’ to ‘perform an automation landing when slinging’.
It’s also alleged Wright, the former Outback Wrangler host, and Helibrook had an ‘inability to train for such a landing’.
Dani also alleged Wright should have had regard for the pilot Seb Robinson’s attention which was diverted away from the cockpit dashboard while ‘slinging’.
And in a bombshell accusation, Dani alleged Helibrook should’ve had regard to the ‘strains put on pilots and participants that may cause them to operate less safely’.
Dani claims Helibrook and Wright should have known the croc egg stunt – ‘if conducted at all’ – could cause ‘death or serious injury’.
‘There was a risk of harm if Helibrook failed to take reasonable care that a person in a position of Mr Wilson would be injured or killed,’ Dani stated in her claim to the NSW Supreme Court.
It’s also alleged the risk of harm was foreseeable, not insignificant, and ‘ one that, in the circumstances, a reasonable person in the position of Helibrook would have taken precautions against’.
Dani alleged Wright should have taken several steps to avoid the tragic death of her husband, including ensuring the helicopter was adequately fuelled and not flown ‘outside its operating limits’.
It’s also alleged Wright should have ensured the helicopter was adequately maintained and his company had in place an ‘appropriate safety culture’.
In her claim, Dani Wilson also points the finger squarely at pilot Mr Robinson, whom she suggests was an employee of Helibrook.
Mr Robinson survived the crash but suffered serious injuries and is now wheelchair-bound.
Dani accused Mr Robinson of failing to undertake a slinging operation risk assessment on the day of the crash.
Mr Robinson is also accused of failing to brief the crew on the safety procedures in accordance with Helibrook policy.
The widow alleged Mr Robinson flew the helicopter in a manner that compromised his ability to ensure there was adequate fuel for a given operation and flew the chopper ‘outside its operating limits’.
Dani claimed Wright is ‘vicariously responsible for the acts and omissions of Mr Robinson’.
Dani said in her claim that she married Willow in 2016 and the pair had two children.
She is seeking a vast sum believed to be in the millions to cover the loss of her husband’s earnings, costs, interest, and interest on costs.
Dani said she suffered ‘nervous shock’ and ‘psychiatric harm’ after her husband’s death.
Wright, who lodged his defence to Dani’s claims on July 28, stated Helibrook went into liquidation on June 25 this year.
Wright appeared alongside Wilson in the Netflix series Wild Croc Territory, after gaining fame in National Geographic’s Outback Wrangler from 2011 to 2019.
The former Netflix star, who is facing a criminal trial in the Northern Territory, denies most of Dani’s claims against him and Helibrook.
Wright denied Helibrook was negligent and he did not owe his deceased friend Mr Wilson a ‘non-delegable duty of care’.
Wright also denied Mr Wilson and Mr Robinson were employees of Helibrook but were just independent contractors.
He also claimed his collapsed croc-egg-hunting company was not ‘vicariously liable’ for the acts of the pilot.
Mr Wright, who does not admit Dani’s loss and damage, also denied he owed a duty of care to Mr Wilson and denied he ‘failed to take any precautions as alleged or at all’.
Dani also sued the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) which, she alleged, when taking reasonable precautions to the risk of harm, was obliged to not approve slinging operations.
According to court documents, the helicopter crashed when it ‘inadvertently’ hit a tree, but it’s also alleged that possible engine failure, fuel exhaustion or ‘unknown pilot error’ contributed to the accident.
The widow alleged CASA had a duty to not approve Helibrook’s performance of slinging operations.
CASA is also accused of not taking the proper steps to assure itself Helibrook had conducted an adequate risk assessment before conducting slinging operations.
Dani also accused CASA of failing to conduct ongoing monitoring and assessment of Helibrook’s safety culture and safety performance.
She alleged CASA breached its duty which caused her ‘pure mental harm’ and loss of maintenance and income during the course of Mr Wilson’s life to support his wife and children.
The Supreme Court matter is getting messy with Wright and CASA both lodging counterclaims.
In the meantime, Wright, a former Tourism ambassador, will focus his attention on his criminal trial after he was charged with three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The charges pertain to Wright’s alleged actions following the fatal accident in February 2022.
Witnesses in the looming trial will include the pilots, as well as fellow TV crew members, major Top End business figures, and crocodile egg collectors.
Following multiple delays, jury selection was due to begin on Wednesday in the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin before Acting Justice Alan Blow.
However, ongoing legal arguments caused another delay, and the jury will now not be empanelled until next Tuesday.
Justice Blow announced on Wednesday he is now unwilling to start the jury process until after the long weekend, as Monday is a local public holiday in Darwin.
Wright and wife Kaia attended court on Monday, when he entered pleas of not guilty to all charges and has since returned to court on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Wright warmly embraced Kaia as they exited the Supreme Court building at lunchtime on Wednesday after hearing about the further trial delays.
The charges concern Wright’s alleged actions during the seven months following the catastrophic accident.
Mr Robinson is expected to testify over several days, along with his mother, Noelene Chillingham, and Darwin crocodile farm owner Mick Burns, who had contracted the chopper at the time of the crash.
It is alleged Wright was not properly following the maintenance rules for his helicopters, and attempted to cover this up in the wake of the crash.
It will be alleged the offences occurred between March 3 and September 25, 2022, in Darwin and elsewhere.
Wright is defended by leading Adelaide silk David Edwardson KC and barrister Luke Officer.
Prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC will call up to 25 witnesses during the trial, which is expected to take four weeks.