Flying school awaits release of evidence by magistrate to close internal inquiry

A flight school cannot conclude its internal inquiry into the forced landing of one of its planes a month ago because crucial evidence has not yet been released by the courts carrying out a magisterial inquiry.

The European Pilot Academy’s director of training, John Dixon, said the flying school could not go ahead with its inquiry “mainly because evidence is held by the magistrate conducting the inquiry”.

A 25-year-old flight instructor and his 32-year-old student were slightly injured when a light aircraft belonging to the European Pilot Academy was forced to land in Gozo on July 11. The plane was badly damaged.

Following the accident, the flying school launched an internal inquiry and the duty magistrate also started a separate inquiry aimed at determining whether there was criminal responsibility. A third inquiry is being held by Transport Malta’s Civil Aviation Directorate.

When contacted, Capt. Dixon said that following the crash the instructor involved in the accident was on long leave pending the outcome of the internal inquiry.

He said the student who was in the plane had suspended his lessons but informed the academy he was still interested in pursuing the course.

The accident occurred at about 3 p.m. when the light aircraft, a single-engined Tecnam, was being used for a flight in accordance with the normal training syllabus. No malfunction in the aeroplane systems or the engine were reported by the pilot, a spokesman for the flying school had said.