Accident to the Piper PA28R registered F-BRAE on 15/04/2022 at Saint-Barthélémy

This is a courtesy translation by the BEA of the Final Report on the Safety Investigation published in November 2022. As accurate as the translation may be, the original text in French is the work of reference.

Note : The following information is principally based on statements and videos of the accident. This information has not been independently validated by the BEA.

1. History of the flight

On leaving Pointe-à-Pitre, the pilot of the PA28, accompanied by three passengers, approached Saint-Barthelemy airport. Video surveillance footage showed that the aeroplane was above the approach slope for runway 10. It flew over the pass before taking a steep nose-down attitude towards the runway. Despite the flare, the aeroplane came into hard contact with the ground. The right main landing gear broke and the aeroplane veered off the right side of the runway. The rest of the landing gear failed before the aeroplane came to a stop on striking a sign.

2. Additional information

2.1. Pilot's statement and experience

The 68-year-old pilot held a Private Pilot Licence (PPL(A)). On the day of the accident, he had logged 2,723 flight hours. In the previous three months, he had flown 23 h and 37 min of which 23 h and 10 min were on the PA28. He was president of the flying club.

Saint-Barthelemy airport is reserved for aircraft flown by pilots who have been approved by an instructor. The approval is current if the pilot has used the airport as pilot in command in the previous six months. The pilot's previous flight to Saint-Barthelemy was on 16 December 2021,
i.e. four months before the accident. His last flight at this airport with an instructor was on
31 July 2021.

The pilot thought that, although within the weight and balance envelope, the aeroplane was heavy at the time of landing with four people on board, the luggage and the full fuel load necessary to perform the round trip.

He explained that he did not give a before take-off briefing as the passengers only arrived 15 min before departure. He said he carried out the flight as a cost-share as a favour to friends who could not find any seat on scheduled flights to go on holiday to their house in St Barthelemy.

The pilot described his approach as too high on the approach slope and at too low a speed. He said he had extended the flaps to the landing configuration and did not hear the stall warning.

He indicated that once the aeroplane came to a stop, he did not consider it necessary to carry out the safety actions as the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting building was right in front of them. He added that if a fire had broken out, he would have evacuated the aeroplane and tried to extinguish the fire with the fire extinguisher he had on board.

2.2. Meteorological information

According to the information available to the AFIS officer, the wind was from 60° at 14 kt, stable and not gusty.

According to Météo-France, there were few clouds  and no precipitation was observed.

2.3. Information about safetying the aeroplane and the evacuation of the occupants

According to the information gathered, the first witnesses who arrived near the aeroplane noted that the pilot and the passengers seemed to be stunned and did not react.

The ARFF agents, who intervened quickly after the accident, before the passengers evacuated the aeroplane, reported that the magnetos were switched off and that the passengers evacuated unaided several minutes after their arrival.

After the intervention of the ARFF agents, one of the mechanics present at the airport indicated that he checked and then set the fuel selector, which was still positioned on the right tank, to off.

January 2023