Sources in the aviation industry say a fatal build-up of deadly ice on the wings could have been to blame for the plane's disappearance
THE doomed plane carrying footie ace Emiliano Sala could have been brought down by a build-up of deadly ice on the wings, aviation experts claim.
On Monday night, the single engine Piper PA-46 plane vanished over Guernsey.
One aviation expert said: "There are reports that the footballer was texting saying the aircraft is shaking and breaking up are classic signs of icing on the wings".
“The pilot is most likely wrestling with a stall at 2,300ft.
“It is likely, though, that the aircraft hit the water in one piece otherwise debris would have quickly been found.”
The claim comes as the British pilot of a plane carrying the new Cardiff signing admitted he was “a bit rusty” at the controls before it vanished.
David Ibbotson, 60, told pals his fears after arriving in France on Saturday and even joked about the state of his landing.
Both men are missing, with rescue chiefs saying there is no hope of finding them alive.
These are classic signs of icing on the wings. The pilot is most likely wrestling with a stall at 2,300ft.
Aviation source
Sala, 28, is thought to have flown back to Nantes to say goodbye to his ex-teammates after signing for Premier League side Cardiff in a club record £15million deal.
Once there, married dad-of-four Dave, from Scunthorpe, Lincs, told a pal: “Was not too bad when I got there, but I’m a bit rusty with the ILS (instrument landing system).”
Dave, a gas engineer with 20 years of flying experience, then told the pal that the landing had been “a little bit on the high side hehe, better than on the low side”.
He spent Sunday in Nantes before meeting Sala at the city’s airport on Monday evening.
Reports suggested they had attempted to take off four times before finally getting airborne.
The plane climbed to 5,000ft but later asked Jersey air traffic control for permission to drop to 2,300ft. It then vanished at 8.30pm near Alderney.
Sala sent WhatsApp messages to his friends as the plane lurched in rough conditions, saying the plane “looks like it’s going to fall apart”.
It was revealed Sala’s booking was made by the son of Scottish footie agent Willie McKay — although he was not involved in the Cardiff transfer.
Neither McKay nor his son Mark owned the aircraft.
Meanwhile, underwear model Berenice Schkair, 27, who had been linked to Sala, wrote on Twitter: “Investigate the football mafia because I don’t believe this was an accident.”
