Cessna U206F Accident at Sainte-Marie-au-Bosc (F-HNCM)

Flight Details and Accident Sequence On April 9, 2017, at approximately 16:30 local time, a Cessna U206F with registration F-HNCM, operated by Para76, was conducting a parachute drop flight. The aircraft was carrying one pilot and four passengers. During the tenth flight of the day, the pilot took off from runway 22 at Le Havre aerodrome. At approximately 4,000 feet while over the sea, the engine stopped abruptly. The pilot directed the aircraft toward land and used the trim to maintain best glide speed. A restart attempt resulted in the engine running for about ten seconds with significant vibrations, smoke, and oil projections before stopping again. The pilot selected a clear field for a forced landing. During the landing roll, the nose gear sank into the ground, causing the aircraft to overturn onto its back. The aircraft was heavily damaged. The pilot, a 23-year-old professional pilot, had 457 total flight hours, including 172 on the Cessna 206. The parachutists did not evacuate over water due to insufficient altitude for a safe jump once over land.