The terrifying moment a plane fell “like a stone” from a height of 150 feet after stalling in a horror crash was captured on camera.
Xavi Caballol, an entrepreneur, was piloting his small private ultralight aircraft when it plummeted to the ground at the Viladamat aerodrome in Girona, Spain, on 19 October. Now he along with his influencer partner are trying to rebuild their lives after suffering multiple fractures.
The impact from a height of 150 feet inflicted severe injuries on both of them, including broken vertebrae and many other bones. Xavi also fractured his skull, causing a loss of mobility in part of his face.
Now Xavi, 49, and partner Alba Serch are undergoing a gruelling path back to rehabilitation. The couple are in wheelchairs but are practicing being able to walk again with a regime of physiotherapy.
Xavi says he hopes sharing the crash video will help any future pilots prevent accidents. He said: “The video of the accident that has changed our lives. We have decided to share this video, despite it being traumatic for us. They tell us that ultralight aviation is very safe and from experience I categorically affirm that it is not.
“It is a beautiful world that I would reserve for commercial and private pilots with many hours of flight and experience. In my case, I had practiced this type of manoeuvre hundreds of times and it never happened to me to stall in such a violent way and fall like a stone.
“I don’t know if it was due to a downdraft, a thermal, a sudden change in wind since we had very laminar (smooth) wind… I don’t know. What I do know is that I will never fly again, even though I have my pilot’s license. This video also serves to silence the mouths that have no idea about aviation and write invented atrocities about the accident. God protect you as he protected us.”
The businessman from Andorra used to be known as Ferrariman on social media, and the couple would show off their luxury lifestyle of fast cars and glamourous destinations. However, the accident has changed their outlook on life. Xavi said: “We have always been very selfish and focused on ourselves, but this experience has made us empathise more with people, it has awakened in us the feeling of helping others. We are forever grateful for this second chance.”
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