Rudding Park helicopter crash: Instructor Ian King denies charge
A flying instructor whose former student died in a helicopter crash has denied falsifying documents the dead pilot used to get a licence.
Paul and Linda Spencer, of West Yorks, died in the crash at Rudding Park, near Harrogate, on 26 January 2008.
Ian King, 53, of Burns Way, Clifford, West Yorkshire, denies making a false representation to procure Mr Spencer a private pilot's licence.
The case at Leeds Crown Court is expected to last for a week.
The allegation relates to the instruction and examination Mr Spencer undertook for his private pilot's licence in December 2007, the court heard.
Mr Spencer, 43, and his wife, 59, from Brighouse, had just returned from a holiday in the Caribbean when they were killed.
The couple, who ran Country Baskets, a business which sold dried flowers, were regular visitors to the Rudding Park Hotel.
Prosecuting barrister Martin Goudie claimed Mr King knew that when he submitted details to the Civil Aviation Authority relating to the number of training flying hours completed by Mr Spencer they were wrong.
The court heard that Mr King had logged his pupil as having completed 51 training flying hours against the authority's demanded 45 hours.
But the prosecution alleges records compiled by Mr King in late 2007 had been inaccurate regarding the hours flown and type of exercises undertaken.
The trial continues.