RAF officer threatened to break a pilots legs if he told anyone why plane nosedived, court hears
AN RAF officer threatened to break a pilot’s legs if he told anyone why a military plane nosedived, a court heard.
Fl Lt Andrew Townshend, 49, lost control of the passenger jet carrying 187 personnel over the Black Sea in 2014.
Townshend is facing a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, accused of lying in both a technical log and service inquiry and insisted the incident had been caused by a technical fault.
He denies two counts of perjury and making a false record in relation to lying but admits negligently performing a duty in relation to the camera colliding with the aircraft's control stick.
An inquiry said his camera jammed the controls.
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But he was warned to keep quiet by Sq Leader Nathan Giles, the pilot’s court martial was told.
Flt Lt Jones alleged Squadron Leader Nathan Giles, from the Military Air Accident Investigation Branch, switched off the tape, grabbed him by the collar and said: "If you tell anyone about this I will break your f****** legs'."
Townshend denies perjury.
Hearing adjourned.
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