The aircraft then crashed, seriously injuring pilot Sebastian Robinson.

Now a paraplegic, he gave evidence at the Supreme Court in Darwin by video link from his wheelchair on Wednesday.

Wright is on trial on three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice, having pleaded not guilty.

According to prosecutors, Wright was concerned that crash investigators might find out that flight-time meters were routinely disconnected to inflate flying hours beyond official limits and that documentation was fabricated.

The court heard from Robinson, who recounted that Wright came to see him at Royal Brisbane Hospital 10 days after the crash. At that time, Robinson was in critical condition, heavily sedated, with numerous medical tubes attached.

When questioned by Crown prosecutor Jason Gullaci SC, the 32-year-old Robinson shared that Wright requested him “to manipulate hours on my aircraft” during the hospital visit.

“He asked if I would consider putting any of his hours, from his helicopter, onto my helicopter.”

The court learned that Robinson was being asked to transfer egg-collecting flying hours logged on Wright’s downed helicopter to his own, which lacked the necessary equipment for such tasks.

Robinson stated that he initially responded to Wright’s request by saying he would consider it, but when Wright returned the next day, Robinson declined, expressing his discomfort with the proposal.

Wright had also asked to go through his phone and “delete a few things”, Robinson said.

At the time he was “scared and panicked” and didn’t know who to trust, he said.

The crash and his life-changing injuries had been “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my life”.

The court was told Robinson was asked to fly egg-collecting missions in Arnhem Land, where COVID restrictions were in place, because Wright was an anti-vaxxer so could not enter the Indigenous territory unvaccinated.

Jurors heard that Wright visited Robinson in hospital despite requirements to show a COVID vaccination certificate and having to complete a test for the virus.

The charges against Wright do not relate to the cause of the accident and the prosecution does not allege he is responsible for either the crash, Wilson’s death or Robinson’s injuries.