Jaimee Edwards was giving evidence at the trial of Murray Kelvyn Sarginson, of Athol, which began in the Queenstown District Court yesterday.
Sarginson is being prosecuted by the Civil Aviation Authority, who says there were ``two fundamental failures'' in his actions - he overloaded the Robinson R22 and flew it in poor visibility.
Otautau man Liam Edwards (32) was the sole passenger in the aircraft when it crashed on April 30, 2016.
Although he was able to walk and talk afterwards, he died a short time later.
An autopsy found he suffered high-energy impact injuries to his chest and pelvis, causing multiple fractures to his ribs and pelvis.
The defendant suffered critical head and chest injuries.
Mrs Edwards told the court she learned about the crash about 11.30am from the defendant's wife, Jackie, who told her Liam was ``walking around'' after the crash.
But two hours later a friend rang to say a news website was reporting a man had died in a helicopter crash near Lindis Pass.
``I looked at the website and broke down and cried. I just knew it was Liam.''
The two men, partners in an earthmoving business, Ag-Works South, were flying to Canterbury's Mount Algidus Station for work.
The pair, who had worked together for eight years, were ``best of buddies'' who often went fishing, hunting, flying and socialising together, she said.
``They got on like a house on fire,'' she observed.
She visited the defendant in Dunedin Hospital five days after the crash and heard his account of what happened.
She understood him to say he was hovering above a steep hillside looking for a place to land because of the poor visibility.
He told her that after the ``bang'' of impact with the hill, he found himself still strapped into his seat, but Mr Edwards was on the ground.
Mr Edwards had started to ``bum-shuffle'' down the hill in the direction of the highway.
Under cross-examination by Sarginson's counsel, Colin Withnall QC, she said she did not trust her memory of the conversation.
She had been traumatised, affected by sleeping pills and tired from looking after her 5-week-old son.
She agreed Sarginson was ``not a risk-taker'', but ``very calculated in the decisions that he makes''.
She said he was ``cautious'' person and ``thorough''.
Cromwell man Raymond Casey told the court he had received a call from a friend, Ben Sarginson, telling him his uncle had been in a helicopter crash.
Ben asked him to accompany him in a helicopter to try to find the crash site.
As they flew from Cromwell towards the Lindis Pass, they spoke to the defendant and Mr Edwards by cellphone several times.
After searching several valleys in the area, he spotted the wreckage through a gap in the cloud and fog.
After they landed nearby, he spoke to the defendant, who was a ``bit mixed up'' and did not know where Mr Edwards was.
He walked down the hill and found Mr Edwards a short distance away, lying face-down and unconscious on a rock outcrop. He thought he found a pulse.
He began CPR and continued until a paramedic arrived about 25 minutes later. The paramedic could find no signs of life.
Mr Sarginson is facing four charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act: reckless conduct in respect of his duty, and failing to comply with his duty in a way that exposed an individual to risk of death or serious injury.
Judge Bernadette Farnan must decide whether the charges apply in Sarginson's capacity as a director of the company, or as a worker.
He is also charged under the Civil Aviation Act with operating an aircraft in a manner that exposed a passenger to unnecessary danger.
The trial is expected to continue until Thursday.
