Accident Overview
On January 3, 2020, at approximately 1430 UTC, a Mooney M20J aircraft bearing French registration F-OIAT crashed shortly after taking off from Lifou Wanaham Airport in New Caledonia. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and the pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries.
Investigation
The Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA) of the French government is conducting the investigation into the accident. As the state of manufacture of the airplane and engine, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has appointed a US accredited representative to assist the BEA in its inquiries.