A jury has been selected for the trial of reality TV star Matt Wright on charges of perverting the course of justice following a fatal outback helicopter crash.
Wright's Outback Wrangler TV show co-star and mate Chris "Willow" Wilson was killed in the February 2022 crash which seriously injured pilot Sebastian Robinson.
Mr Wilson, 34, was hanging from a sling under the chopper on a mission to collect crocodile eggs when the aircraft lost power and plunged to the ground.
Wright was charged after being accused of tampering with evidence to cover up non-adherence to aircraft maintenance rules.
The 45-year-old has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Wright arrived at the Supreme Court in Darwin on Tuesday wearing a white shirt and tie and sand-coloured trousers, accompanied by his wife Kaia and lawyers.
More than 100 potential jurors packed the court, with dozens coming forward to seek to be excused from jury service as Wright watched quietly from the dock.
Balls drawn from a barrel decided the make-up of the jury apart from those rejected following challenges from legal counsel.
A panel of 12 jurors plus two reserves was selected, comprising eight men and six women.
Acting Justice Allan Blow told the court the trial could take from three to five weeks, with a long list of witnesses to be examined.
He told jurors the case had received a lot of publicity but it was important they ignore what they had heard or read on it and rely solely on evidence presented in the courtroom in making their decisions.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau report into the crash near the King River in Arnhem Land found the chopper's engine stopped mid-flight because of a lack of fuel.
The charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice carries a maximum 15-year jail term in the NT.
Wright rose to fame starring in National Geographic's Outback Wrangler and Netflix series Wild Croc Territory.
