Emiliano Sala

[Sutekh]

Very real worries Emiliano - just signed for Cardiff City - may have been on a small plane currently reported missing over the English Channel

https://uk.yahoo.com/sports/news/air-se ... 28964.html

[Old Man Andrews]

As already mentioned in the transfer thread I would have a reasonable level of hope that they at least made it down for a sea landing. Those smaller planes rarely drop like a stone unless there is an explosion which again are rare on the small propeller planes. Hoping it was some sort of engine failure leading to the pilot bringing it down in the sea, thats the best case scenario anyway.

[NewCorkSeth]

How many people were on the plane?

[Winston Biscuit]

How many people were on the plane?

2

[genome]

I usually get a gut feeling with these kinds of early reports that it's not going to work out the way we'd all hope. Similar to the Leicester helicopter breaking news.

Tragic.

[Hendo]

Yeah, these things rarely end well.

Not good at all.

[Old Man Andrews]

Confirmed to have been on the plane by French Aviation. Not good at all. Just hope he is washed up somewhere or the plane stayed afloat or something. Might end horribly though I fear.

[Zip]

This happened last night so realistically he hasn’t survived. Heartbreaking especially as the fact he was doing so well this season led to him moving to the PL.

[Old Man Andrews]

This happened last night so realistically he hasn’t survived. Heartbreaking especially as the fact he was doing so well this season led to him moving to the PL.

Theres a lot of factors in that though. The impact, how close he was to shore, how good a swimmer he is etc. All unknowns at the moment. If the pilot managed to bring it down on water in a controlled manner then he'd have every chance. I fear this isn't the case though as something would have been seen by now.

[Sanguine]

This happened last night so realistically he hasn’t survived. Heartbreaking especially as the fact he was doing so well this season led to him moving to the PL.

Theres a lot of factors in that though. The impact, how close he was to shore, how good a swimmer he is etc. All unknowns at the moment. If the pilot managed to bring it down on water in a controlled manner then he'd have every chance. I fear this isn't the case though as something would have been seen by now.

As you say, you'd expect news by now - not least a distress beacon or something from the pilot if he's floating around on the sea. ATC say that they lost contact with the plane soon after it passed Guernsey, and that its last known altitude was 2,300 feet, having initially flow at 5,000 feet.

[Old Man Andrews]

This happened last night so realistically he hasn’t survived. Heartbreaking especially as the fact he was doing so well this season led to him moving to the PL.

Theres a lot of factors in that though. The impact, how close he was to shore, how good a swimmer he is etc. All unknowns at the moment. If the pilot managed to bring it down on water in a controlled manner then he'd have every chance. I fear this isn't the case though as something would have been seen by now.

As you say, you'd expect news by now - not least a distress beacon or something from the pilot if he's floating around on the sea. ATC say that they lost contact with the plane soon after it passed Guernsey, and that its last known altitude was 2,300 feet, having initially flow at 5,000 feet.

Tiny plane too. If it broke up on impact they have no chance of finding anything until it washes up.

[Winston Biscuit]

https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/617 ... sland.html

We went into EGJB about an hour or so before this happened.
​​​​​​Was a bit of icing around from 3000-5000ft. Some random windshear around 2000-2500. But nothing untoward.
Cloud tops were overcast from about 5-6000ft
Weather certainly wasn't VFR.

I'm more inclined to ask why a single engine piston/turboprop was flying in the clouds at low level over the English Channel at night, in IMC, in winter.

[Old Man Andrews]

https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/617 ... sland.html

We went into EGJB about an hour or so before this happened.
​​​​​​Was a bit of icing around from 3000-5000ft. Some random windshear around 2000-2500. But nothing untoward.
Cloud tops were overcast from about 5-6000ft
Weather certainly wasn't VFR.

I'm more inclined to ask why a single engine piston/turboprop was flying in the clouds at low level over the English Channel at night, in IMC, in winter.

Good find. The ice is certainly my top pick as to what caused any issues, especially if an inexperianced pilot was at the controls.

[leon]

https://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/617 ... sland.html

We went into EGJB about an hour or so before this happened.
​​​​​​Was a bit of icing around from 3000-5000ft. Some random windshear around 2000-2500. But nothing untoward.
Cloud tops were overcast from about 5-6000ft
Weather certainly wasn't VFR.

I'm more inclined to ask why a single engine piston/turboprop was flying in the clouds at low level over the English Channel at night, in IMC, in winter.

Good find. The ice is certainly my top pick as to what caused any issues, especially if an inexperianced pilot was at the controls.

We should have a specialist aviation thread on AE. I'm sure Ian's an expert.

[6ft Kerplunk]

I usually get a gut feeling with these kinds of early reports that it's not going to work out the way we'd all hope.

Hark at Mystic Meg over here, small plunges into the sea in winter at night and you've got a gut feeling all may not work out well... Or do you mean you hope Cardiff weren't paying in installments?

[Old Man Andrews]

I usually get a gut feeling with these kinds of early reports that it's not going to work out the way we'd all hope.

Hark at Mystic Meg over here, small plunges into the sea in winter at night and you've got a gut feeling all may not work out well... Or do you mean you hope Cardiff weren't paying in installments?

It hasn't been confirmed the plane is in the sea.....

[genome]

I usually get a gut feeling with these kinds of early reports that it's not going to work out the way we'd all hope.

Hark at Mystic Meg over here, small plunges into the sea in winter at night and you've got a gut feeling all may not work out well... Or do you mean you hope Cardiff weren't paying in installments?

That post was before it was confirmed Sala was on the plane, but thanks for your snark

[Sutekh]

BBC report on the story so far

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe ... y-46954922

Really not looking hopeful

[Old Man Andrews]

Officially presumed dead according to the French Press Agency.

[Winston Biscuit]

Can't think of much worse than being fully aware you are about to do a controlled landing (if that is what happened) into an icy cold sea in the pitch black at night knowing that no one really knows where you are