UPDATED: A 44-year-old man has been arrested and now charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice as part of an ongoing police investigation into the fatal helicopter crash in West Arnhem that killed Outback Wrangler star Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson in February.

NT Police initially said the unnamed man was arrested Wednesday morning, and “assisting detectives with their inquiries”, however issued a statement three hours later stating the man has now been charged with four crimes, including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, attempting to pervert the course of justice, destruction of evidence and providing a false statement in a statutory declaration.

They also finally said the man was arrested in Darwin, but did not release his name. He was later identified by media as Mick Burbidge, a helicopter pilot who appeared on the first season of the show and owner of Remote Helicopters Australia.

The helicopter crash occurred on February 28 near King River in West Arnhem Land, where Mr Wilson and pilot Sebastian Robinson were reportedly collecting crocodile eggs.

The arrest and charging of Mr Burbidge comes almost a month after senior NT Police officer Neil Mellon was arrested and handcuffed while working as watch commander, with police later charging him with 31 offences, that also included conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and destruction of evidence connected to the helicopter crash.

He was also charged with disclosing confidential information and obtaining benefit by deception, as well as other charges including possessing prohibited weapons, fireworks and protected wildlife offences.

The Australian had reported that Sgt Mellon is alleged to have immediately flown to the scene of the helicopter crash while off-duty on February 28 to retrieve “his friend’s body” before emergency services had arrived. It is unclear who he allegedly flew there with.

The crash also sent 28-year-old helicopter pilot Mr Robinson to hospital in a critical condition, but he survived.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s preliminary investigation into the fatal crash that saw the engine of the Robinson R44 chopper stop before hitting the ground, had not identified any defects in the engine likely to result in it cutting out. A final report is still to be completed.

Mr Robinson was piloting the chopper at the time Mr Wilson was reportedly suspended 30 metres below the aircraft in a harness system collecting crocodile eggs when it crashed, killing Mr Wilson.

Mr Wilson, 34, was a longtime friend and colleague of crocodile wrangler Matt Wright, and appeared on National Geographic’s Outback Wrangler program, that is seen in 130 countries.

He was also the managing director of Northern Australia Civil, a company whose co-director is crocodile farmer and Darwin publican Mick Burns.

NT Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Michael White said last month that the investigation into Sgt Mellon’s involvement in the major crash had been ongoing for six months.

“It will be alleged by police that the actions of this officer have undermined the integrity of the Northern Territory Police and the community of the Northern Territory,” he said.

Mr Burbidge has been bailed and will appear in Darwin Local Court on October 19, police said.