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| Date: | Wednesday 28 November 2018 |
| Time: | 12:39 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32-301 Saratoga |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | F-OJSN |
| MSN: | 32-8006042 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | off Terre-de-Haut Airport (LSS/TFFS) -
 Guadeloupe
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Dominica-Cane Field Airport (DCF/TDCF) |
| Terre-de-Haut Airport (LSS/TFFS) | |
| Investigating agency: | BEA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities |
The plane ditched to the waters of Saintes Bay following a loss of engine power while on approach to Les Saintes Airport (TFFS) on Terre-de-Haut Island. The three occupants survived without injury. Smoke trailed from the engine for about a mile before impact, and the plane could not maintain altitude. A sharp bank to port, flair at the last moment and the tail hit and sent the nose into the water with a big splash. The plane went vertical in the water quickly and local yacht RIBs were quickly on scene.
The vibrations, the loss of oil and the engine shutdown were caused by the failure of a rod of one of the engine’s cylinders.
The investigation was unable to determine the cause of the rod failure.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.rci.fm/infos/faits-divers/un-petit-avion-tombe-dans-leau-aux-saintes
https://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/guadeloupe/avion-tourisme-s-abime-mer-aux-saintes-656769.html
https://www.bea.aero/fr/les-enquetes/les-evenements-notifies/detail/event/deroutement-panne-moteur-en-finale-amerrissage-1/
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ1cMHmJ8vE
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 7 May 2013 | F-OJSN | Private | 0 | Saint Barthélémy Airport, French Antilles |  |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-Nov-2018 07:59 | gerard57 | Added |
| 29-Nov-2018 08:01 | gerard57 | Updated [Country, ] |
| 29-Nov-2018 17:50 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 05-Dec-2018 07:44 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 06-Dec-2018 19:38 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Source, ] |
| 23-May-2022 03:16 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location, Destination airport, ] |
| 18-Aug-2025 06:26 | ASN | Updated [Location, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 18-Aug-2025 06:27 | ASN | Updated [Departure airport, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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