Pilot charged over death

A New Zealand helicopter pilot has appeared in Alice Springs Magistrates Court over the death of a Canadian woman in the Northern Territory in 2004.

Edward John Woodhouse (Ned) Lee faced two charges of doing an act, causing death, while intoxicated, the ABC reported.

He successfully applied for bail set at A$5000 ($6140) on the condition he live at a designated address in Wellington. The matter will return to court in November.

Lee was reported to have been told in 2006 that he was unlikely to have charges reinstated against him over the death of Cynthia Ching, 29, a Canadian tourist, despite a formal referral to authorities from the Northern Territory coroner.

Lee was charged at the time with committing a dangerous act, but a loophole meant he could not be extradited from New Zealand and the prosecution was dropped.

Ms Ching died six weeks after she was severely burnt during a social gathering at Kings Creek Station, 450km southwest of Alice Springs.

In 2006, Lee said he had co-operated fully with the inquiry into the death of Ms Ching and waited for a call to return to Australia but it never came.

An inquest heard Lee was refuelling a lantern made from a beer can when his arm caught fire and he spilled the volatile fuel.

- NZPA