Originally Posted by
Red Plum
He may have had hours but he was totally unqualified and unlicensed to carry out that flight. If you go back a couple of pages and look at the picture of his licence he was a PPL limited to day only flight.
He knowingly broke the rules and was responsible for not only his own death but that of an otherwise innocent passenger who had been ignorant of detailed arrangements. No amount of 'nod and a wink- it goes on all the time' will change those facts - unpalatable though they may be.
Ibbotson should never have 'elected' to take that flight.
And of course knowing his financial predicament Henderson knew he would not decline.
When he handed the aircraft keys to Ibbotson that weekend it must have crossed his mind that he was encouraging and assisting Ibbotson to break the law.
The agent has explained he assigned Henderson to carry out the charter.
The lawyers will be beating a path to his door and given the sums involved this is going to be expensive.
Looking at the wider picture ,we have as others pointed out earlier, the issue of jockey flights and other grey area charters.
AOPA should be making a big fuss about this in the press to highlight how cowboy operations are undermining the genuine AOC companies.