Richard Woods, 40, was almost four times the drink-drive limit when his blue Skoda Fabia hit a Toyota Yaris on the M6 in Cumbria on October 15 last year.
Toyota driver Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, from Glasgow, died with his children, Filip, 15, and Dominic, seven.
His partner Jade McEnroe, 33, also lost her life although her son Arran, seven, survived the tragedy despite suffering serious injuries.
A third full gin bottle was found in the Skoda, while a fireball engulfed the Glasgow-bound Yaris, with four of its five occupants pronounced dead at the scene.
Cockermouth Coroners' Court heard Woods, born in Hexham, Northumberland, became a flight lieutenant and then squadron leader during a distinguished 14-year RAF career as a fast jet pilot.
He toured Afghanistan twice and completed three tours of Iraq before leaving the RAF in 2019.
He worked for BAE Systems, based at RAF Marham, Norfolk, as an instructor pilot but he had a history of anxiety and alcohol use, which he received help for.
On October 14, Woods, of Cambridgeshire, travelled to Ribby Hall Village, near Preston, for a flight safety conference, staying overnight in a hotel.
He was heard snoring during morning lectures the following day. Woods failed to show up in the afternoon and headed north on the M6.
His Skod...
Toyota driver Jaroslaw Rossa, 42, from Glasgow, died with his children, Filip, 15, and Dominic, seven.
His partner Jade McEnroe, 33, also lost her life although her son Arran, seven, survived the tragedy despite suffering serious injuries.
A third full gin bottle was found in the Skoda, while a fireball engulfed the Glasgow-bound Yaris, with four of its five occupants pronounced dead at the scene.
Cockermouth Coroners' Court heard Woods, born in Hexham, Northumberland, became a flight lieutenant and then squadron leader during a distinguished 14-year RAF career as a fast jet pilot.
He toured Afghanistan twice and completed three tours of Iraq before leaving the RAF in 2019.
He worked for BAE Systems, based at RAF Marham, Norfolk, as an instructor pilot but he had a history of anxiety and alcohol use, which he received help for.
On October 14, Woods, of Cambridgeshire, travelled to Ribby Hall Village, near Preston, for a flight safety conference, staying overnight in a hotel.
He was heard snoring during morning lectures the following day. Woods failed to show up in the afternoon and headed north on the M6.
His Skod...
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Daily Record (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 28, 2025