Flight operator imprisoned following fatal plane crash

摘要

In this legal casenote, we look at the imposition of a prison sentence on the operator of a flight that crashed into the sea, killing the pilot and his passenger. There was no evidence that the matters giving rise to the offences were responsible for the crash, so the sentences did not take account of the crash or deaths. Although the case involves aviation offences, the failures involve familiar health and safety at work issues, including: profit-motivated decision-taking; inadequate maintenance of records of training and qualifications for the specific task, and failure to check for qualifications; wanting not to disappoint a valued client; and intentionally breaching or flagrantly disregarding safety requirements The offences arose from a return flight between Cardiff and Nantes organised by David Henderson as the operator of aircraft N264DB on 20 January 2019. The pilot was David Ibbotson, and the purpose of the flights was to carry Emiliano Sala, a footballer who was joining Cardiff City football club. The plane crashed near Guernsey on its return flight to Cardiff on 21 January 2019. Although the wreckage and Mr Sala's body were found, Mr Ibbotson's body remains undiscovered.