The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Fatal flight: What happened and who was involved
Following the publication of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) report into the plane crash involving footballer Emiliano Sala, some questions about the tragedy:
● What happened?
On January 21 2019, a Piper Malibu aircraft carrying Argentinian striker Emiliano Sala, 28, plunged into the English Channel, northwest of Guernsey.
The plane, piloted by David Ibbotson, took off from Nantes in France at 7.06pm for Cardiff in Wales, before it disappeared at about 8.16pm.
● What went wrong?
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch concluded that Mr Ibbotson lost control while attempting to carry out a turn to remain clear of the bad weather.
The aircraft broke up mid-flight due to being manoeuvred at excessive speed.
● How many people died?
Two people were killed. Sala’s body was recovered from the wreckage, which is still underwater off the coast of Guernsey, but Mr Ibbotson has not been found.
● Who was the pilot?
Mr Ibbotson, 59, from Crowle in north Lincolnshire, had around 3,500 hours of flying experience, gaining much of it piloting single and twin engine aircraft while dropping off parachutists.
He had no training in night flying and a lack of recent practice in instrument flying. He was found to be colour blind in 2001, but more detailed tests in 2012 determined he was “colour safe” for the purposes of flying.
● Who was the passenger? Sala was an Argentine professional footballer who had signed for Cardiff City from French club Nantes for £15 million just two days before he died.
He had played for Nantes for three-and-a-half years, scoring 42 goals in 120 league games.
● Why was the plane not recovered?
An attempt was made on February 6 2019, but it was hampered by bad weather.
The AAIB said it had not tried again due to the high costs involved, the information already collected and the risk the wreckage would “not yield definitive evidence”.