Originally Posted by
rotorspeed
I suspect there are a number of people who have substantial responsibility for this reckless flight that should never have happened. Whoever actually suggested and promoted this flight to Sala has the most responsibility. I suspect Sala was a young guy wishing to please in a new environment at Cardiff with minimal knowledge of general aviation. He would probably have just trusted those that recommended this flight and crossed his fingers.
Reports are he used this aircraft several times before, so he was not completely unfamiliar with GA.
Originally Posted by
rotorspeed
We all know questioning such suggestions can be seen as insulting and can be awkward to do - certainly to press doubts very far. This flight was patently so stupid with so many blindingly obvious high risk factors - old plane, single engine, piston engine, night, winter, fairly poor weather, across extensive water, virtually unsurvivably cold water, poorly qualified pilot, inadequately competent pilot, single pilot. And no doubt more.
High risk is your backwards judgement. There are many flights undertaken under similar circumstances.
Looking at the available data from the time of departure, I would have departed as well, only difference I would have gone IFR high not low.
The weather was not too bad to abort in advance and the aircraft, if maintained well, quite capable for that mission.
Originally Posted by
rotorspeed
Whoever was the de facto owner/controlling mind of this plane must surely have known of the proposed flight. And should have said it was not suitable and stopped it. Anyone introducing the flight to Sala should not have done so without either having sufficient knowledge or asking someone that did have. Fail again. And the pilot should have had far more responsibility and said the risk factors were far too high to be inflicted on an unwitting, vulnerable passenger. And not accepted the flight. I find it hard to believe Cardiff FC have no responsibility either - they should have delved into Sala's travel arrangements more than they did and taken some advice. Which could have been as simple as Googling "Cardiff aircraft charter" which would have brought up local Dragon Fly amongst others, and simply called them for advice, even if they had no interest in chartering a private jet. Had they sought such advice, Sala would surely not have been in the fateful flight.
Clearly there were significant motivating factors for poor Sala to end up on a totally obviously inappropriate flight which cost him his life. No doubt these will come out in the investigation.
The most interesting part will be the facts on license and competency of the pilot. Judgment from after an accident is always biased and we should be more driven by facts than emotions in discussing causes and mitigation strategies. Yes, if we find out the pilot was reckless, by which reason ever, we are perfectly allowed to be angry on him, but the mission wasn't per se.