Emiliano Sala flight could have been ILLEGAL, probe into pilot sparks fears
THE pilot flying the missing plane carrying football star Emiliano Sala was not qualified to carry paying passengers, it has emerged.
Files show part-time pilot Dave Ibbotson, 59, only had a private pilot’s certificate as investigators confirmed they would be looking into whether the flight from Nantes to Cardiff was commercial. Pilots who have a private pilot’s licence cannot take paying passengers. Obtaining a commercial licence requires more flying hours and training
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has launched an investigation into the flight chartered by the son of football agent Willie McKay, Mark McKay.
A spokesman said: “We are looking at all the operational aspects of the flight including licensing.
“As part of the investigation we will want to establish if the flight was a private or commercial operation.”
Mr Ibbotson, of Crowle in Lincolnshire, held a private pilot's licence and passed a medical exam as recently as November, according to Federal Aviation Administration records
As part of the investigation we will want to establish if the flight was a private or commercial operation
The Civil Aviation Authority said the aircraft was registered in the US, so fell under the States' regulations.
US law states private pilots cannot make a profit by carrying passengers.
Cardiff’s £15million striker Emiliano Sala and Mr Ibbotson are both feared dead after rescue workers on Thursday called off the search for the Piper PA-46 Malibu, with no hope of finding survivors.
In Facebook posts in the hours before the doomed flight, Mr Ibbotson told a friend he was “a bit rusty” with the plane’s landing controls.
He wrote: “Was not too bad when I got there but I’m a bit rusty with the ils (Instrument Landing System), in France now.”
His friend replied: “Rusty with he ILS?! I can’t believe that.”
Mr Ibbotson responded: “You wanna bet, a little bit on the high side hehe, better than on the low side.”
The flight left Nantes for Cardiff at 7.15pm on Monday, and after requesting to descend, lost contact with Jersey air traffic control.
Cardiff City signed Sala for a club record £15million to bolster their attack and was due to start training on Tuesday.
Last night his sister pleaded for the search for the missing plane to continue.
Romina Sala said that she feels her 28-year-old brother, who had just signed for Cardiff City, and his pilot are still alive as she called on rescuers not to give up hope.