A CORONER has accused an Italian fighter aircraft supplier of “significantly” obstructing an investigation into the death of a former RAF pilot from Poole.

David Ashley, 49, died while carrying out a familiarisation flight of a M346 Fighter Attack aircraft, manufactured by Leonardo SpA, when it crashed on Monte Legnone, near Colico, Lombardy, on March 16 last year.

The father of two sons had been employed as a pilot instructor to train other pilots to fly the plane.

At the second pre-inquest review hearing into his death at Bournemouth Town Hall on Friday, February 10, senior coroner for Dorset Rachael Griffin criticised Leonardo SpA for refusing to provide relevant documentation to aid the court’s enquiries.

Counsel for Leonardo SpA, Miranda Hill, cited confidentiality boundaries imposed within Italian law as the reason why she could not divulge sought-after documentation – including the flight manual.

Bournemouth Echo: Poole man David Ashley and his wife HeatherPoole man David Ashley and his wife Heather (Image: Family handout)

The court also heard how counsel for Leonardo SpA emailed Mrs Griffin at 8.50pm on February 9 requesting a suspension of the inquest investigation to allow for the Italian enquiries to continue.

Mrs Griffin said Leonardo had “significantly halted my investigation” by refusing to provide documentation and she rejected calls for her investigation to be suspended.

She said: “I do not feel Leonardo have been helping me at all in this investigation. Every direction I have given, every order I have given has not been adhered to.

“It’s not appropriate to suspend the investigation just because there may be another investigation in another jurisdiction in another country.”

Apologising to Ms Griffin and the Ashley family, Ms Hill added: “The preliminary investigations of which specific rules of confidentiality apply are likely to end by October this year and must end by April of next year.”

Bournemouth Echo: Heather Ashley outside Bournemouth Town Hall on February 10, 2023Heather Ashley outside Bournemouth Town Hall on February 10, 2023 (Image: Newsquest)

Mrs Griffin adjourned the inquest for a further preliminary hearing on September 12, expressing her desire to get to the bottom of what caused Mr Ashley’s death in the hope it could “prevent future deaths”.

Speaking to the media after the hearing, Mr Ashley’s widow Heather Ashley said she was “relieved” by the coroner’s decision to proceed and accused Leonardo SpA of showing “complete disrespect”.

She said: “They were being obstructive. At the end of the day, we’re all here for the same purpose, we want to find out what happened."