Accident to the Cessna 206 registered F-BXAM on 07/06/2022 at Punaauia
Engine shutdown during descent after parachute drop, ditching in a lagoon
The pilot in instruction and his instructor took off from runway 04 of Tahiti Faa’a for a parachute drop flight at FL 100.
After the drop, the instructor pilot decided to fly out over the sea in order to have the pilot in instruction carry out several turns in descent with a 45° bank. During these manoeuvres, the instructor pilot and the pilot in instruction observed a sudden reduction in engine power. Their inputs on the various flight controls had no effect. The instructor pilot then reported to the approach controller that he thought he had an engine failure and was going to try and ditch in the lagoon. The aeroplane ditched and turned over on contact with the surface of the water. The two occupants, unharmed, evacuated the aeroplane.