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Matt Wright Sentenced to 10 Months for Obstructing NT Helicopter Crash Investigation

Appeals are pending with a possible retrial on a third unresolved charge.

Overview

  • Acting Justice Alan Blow imposed a 10‑month term, suspended after five months, and a $5,000 fine, and Wright was taken into custody in Darwin.
  • A jury convicted Wright of two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice for lying to police about fuel and asking injured pilot Sebastian Robinson to falsify flight records.
  • The judge said the hospital request was a serious, planned attempt to interfere with the investigation and cited the need for general deterrence, noting no remorse but a low risk of reoffending.
  • Wright is appealing the convictions and sentence, and the NT DPP has not decided whether to retry the hung count alleging an attempt to have maintenance records destroyed.
  • Chris Wilson’s widow has launched a federal civil suit against Wright, his insolvent company Helibrook, and CASA, as the case highlighted concerns about flight‑hour recordkeeping and maintenance thresholds.