Pilot’s licence focus of Sala inquiry

AN INVESTIGATION into the plane crash which killed footballer Emiliano Sala will focus on the validity of the pilot’s licence.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) named “regulatory requirements” as one of four areas in which it will carry out further work before publishing its final report.

Its interim report noted the type of licence held by pilot David Ibbotson meant he could only fly passengers in the European Union on a cost-sharing basis, rather than for commercial flights. Pilots with his licence “must have a bona fide purpose for making the flight”, according to the AAIB.

Argentinian footballer Sala signed for Cardiff City from French club Nantes for £15m on January 18.

Mr Ibbotson, 59, of Crowle, Lincolnshire, flew Sala from Cardiff to Nantes the following day, with the return flight – which crashed in the Channel – on January 21.

The AAIB stated that the Piper Malibu aircraft took off at 7.15pm GMT and flew on its planned route at an altitude of 5,500 ft until it was around 13 nautical miles south of Guernsey at 8.02pm.

At that point, the pilot requested permission from air traffic control to fly at a lower level to maintain visibility. He was cleared by the controller to fly at 5,000 ft and said further descent was not needed.

The last radio communication received from the aircraft was at 8.12pm when the pilot asked for and was granted permission to reduce altitude again. Radar readings show the aircraft turned left and right, descended gradually and climbed rapidly in the minutes before it crashed at 8.16pm.

The AAIB said a band of showers, some heavy, passed through the area flown by the plane around the time of the crash.

Only Sala’s body has been recovered at this stage.