A gamekeeper has been convicted of endangering an aircraft after driving straight at a low-flying helicopter.
Sixty one year old Malcolm Hughes, could have killed the two pilots when he drove his Land Rover at the Army Air Corps Squirrel helicopter.
Pilot Lieutenant Andrew Higgins was seconds from dropping to just 5ft above the ground when his co-pilot spotted Hughes's vehicle and disaster was averted.
The accused, denied a single charge of acting in a manner likely to endanger aircraft.
However, a jury found him guilty after a three-day trial at Salisbury Crown Court.
Prosecutor Justin Gau had told jurors that Hughes had driven underneath the helicopter.
After being arrested, Hughes told police that he had never driven under the helicopter and the closest he had been was 300 metres away.
He said he drove towards the helicopter because he wanted to get close enough to take the aircraft's serial number and report it to the authorities for low flying - a just as his employer had told him to do.
Judge Douglas Field adjourned the case until August 24 when sentencing will take place at Swindon Crown Court.