NT Worksafe has withdrawn charges over a fatal helicopter crash. 

Charges against the directors of a Queensland company Hewitt Cattle Australia for a fatal 2018 helicopter crash that killed one of their employees have been dropped. 

One employee was killed and another was seriously injured in the crash.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) found that the pilot, who was killed, had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.14 at the time of the crash and that the helicopter was likely overloaded, and the likely cause of the crash was that the helicopter encountered turbulence while being flown unnecessarily low, with insufficient height to recover.

NT Worksafe charged two of the company's directors in 2020 with multiple breaches of the NT's workplace health and safety laws, leaving each facing a maximum penalty of $400,000 if found guilty.

In Alice Springs Local Court last Friday, NT Worksafe withdrew the charges.

The decision was made after one of the directors agreed to an enforceable undertaking to improve company operations by spending $55,000 on safety systems.

The company is also obliged to deliver health and safety initiatives within the agriculture industry, including presenting at an NT Cattleman's Association event on safety compliance.

NT WorkSafe executive director Peggy Cheong said the company has been taking steps to improve safety on their properties, particularly when it comes to aerial operations. 

“[It] will further assist officers in understanding their duty under the act with respect to ensuring that safe systems of work are implemented in the workplace,” she said.

“It is a timely reminder and message for officers to be aware of their obligations to not only have safe work systems but to ensure that such systems are actioned and implemented as part of their duty under the act.”