Accidents
UK Court Convicts Organizer of Illegal Charter Flight
David Henderson was found guilty of endangering safety and illegally arranging a charter flight that resulted in the death of soccer star Emiliano Sala.
The U.S.-registered Piper Malibu used for an illegal charter to fly soccer star Emiliano Sala to the UK in January 2019 was not operated by a company holding an air operator certificate and its pilot did not hold a commercial license.
The U.S.-registered Piper Malibu used for an illegal charter to fly soccer star Emiliano Sala to the UK in January 2019 was not operated by a company holding an air operator certificate and its pilot did not hold a commercial license.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court in the UK has found David Henderson guilty of endangering the safety of an aircraft for his role in arranging the flight in which soccer star Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson died when an illegally chartered Piper Malibu crashed into the ocean on a flight from France to Wales in January 2019. Henderson, who effectively managed the aircraft for its private owner, was also found guilty of “attempting to discharge a passenger in the UK without valid permission or authorization." He will be sentenced on November 12.