Pilot ‘lost control of his plane’

● Probe finds aircraft carrying footballer broke up when pushed beyond limits

The plane crash that killed footballer Emiliano Sala was caused when the pilot flew too fast and lost control while attempting to avoid bad weather, accident investigators said.

A final report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) stated the single-engine Piper Malibu aircraft suffered an in-flight break-up when its speed exceeded its design limits.

It added that pilot David Ibbotson, 59, was probably affected by carbon monoxide poisoning.

Investigators found Mr Ibbotson’s lack of night training or recent practice of flying using only cockpit instruments were contributing factors.

Investigator in charge, Geraint Herbert, said: “Control of the aircraft was lost during a manually flown turn and the aircraft descended rapidly accelerating.

“The aircraft rolled to the left and there was an abrupt nose-up control input, at a speed well above the maximum permitted for such an input.”

He said the resulting loads on the aircraft were “excessive”, which caused it to then “break up in flight”.

“It was likely that the pilot’s ability to control the flight was impaired to some extent by carbon monoxide poisoning,” he added.

Argentinian striker Sala, 28, signed for Cardiff City from Nantes in January 2019 for £15 million.

Mr Ibbotson flew him from Cardiff to Nantes to say goodbye to his former teammates later that day, before the fatal return flight two days later.

Sala’s body was recovered but Mr Ibbotson has not been found.

Neither Mr Ibbotson nor the plane were licensed for the flight to operate commercially but evidence showed he was to be paid a fee, the AAIB said.

Unlicensed charter flight operations generally incur lower operating costs.

Former football agent Willie McKay has said he paid for the flight but did not pick the pilot or the plane.

He has explained he was helping his son Mark, who was acting for Nantes, to complete the transfer.

Alison Campbell, senior inspector for operations, said it was a dark night with “little or no” visible horizon.

Investigators concluded that the aircraft entered the Channel upside down, and the impact was “not survivable”.

AFTERMATH: Blue Water Recoveries director David Mearns with Emiliano Sala’s sister Romina, second left, and mother Mercedes, at a press conference during the operation to find the plane following the crash