History
On 28 November 2018, a private Piper PA-32-301 (registration F-OJSN) departed Canefield Airport (Dominica) at approximately 12:15 local time for a flight to Pointe-à-Pitre - Le Raizet Airport (Guadeloupe), carrying the pilot and two passengers. The aircraft cruised at altitudes between 1,000 ft and 1,800 ft along the west coast of Dominica. At 12:25, the pilot turned toward the east coast of the Les Saintes archipelago, flying over the sea.
At 12:30, while approaching the archipelago at about 900 ft, the pilot was transferred from Raizet Approach to Raizet Tower, who instructed him to call in before joining the circuit. At 12:33, after passing the archipelago at around 1,000 ft, the pilot felt slight vibrations in the airframe. Suspecting an incorrectly locked rear door, he decided to divert to Les Saintes aerodrome and informed Pointe-à-Pitre control. The controller acknowledged and directed him to switch to the A/A frequency.
As the aircraft neared landing on runway 09, the vibrations intensified. At 12:36, on final over Baie des Saintes, the pilot heard a noise from the engine and saw smoke in the cockpit. The vibrations worsened, making control difficult. Then a loud noise like an explosion occurred. The pilot chose to make a water landing in the bay and turned left. He conducted a precautionary approach without flaps, avoiding boats. The engine stopped, the rear fuselage contacted the water, and the aircraft glided across the surface before stopping. The occupants evacuated via the wings and were rescued by boats about one minute later. The aircraft sank shortly after.
Pilot Information
The 71-year-old pilot held a Commercial Pilot Licence with land Single-Engine Piston and Instrument Ratings, as well as a Flight Instructor rating. He reported approximately 6,000 total flight hours, including 350 hours on the Piper PA32. He had training and experience for Les Saintes aerodrome, which he knew well.
Aircraft and Engine Examination
The Piper PA-32-301 (Saratoga type) was equipped with a Lycoming IO-540-K1GS six-cylinder engine (300 hp) and a Hartzell HC-C2YR1BF propeller. At the accident date, the airframe had 7,859 total hours; the engine had 513 hours since its last overhaul on 23 September 2016. The aircraft flight manual did not specify a water landing procedure.
The wreckage was recovered and taken to the maintenance workshop. Examining the engine, mechanics found:
- A piece of the engine casing had separated at the rear left attachment point.
- The camshaft had ruptured.
- The rod head and rod of cylinder 6 had failed.
The damage to the casing and camshaft appeared consistent with a failure of the cylinder 6 rod head. The hole in the casing likely caused oil to spread over the airframe, and the rod failure produced intense vibrations. The cause of the rod failure was not determined.
Conclusions
The investigation determined that the vibrations, oil loss, and engine shutdown were caused by the failure of a rod in one of the engine's cylinders. The cause of the rod failure could not be established. The water landing in Baie des Saintes, with flaps retracted, likely minimized the accident's consequences; the nose-up attitude upon water contact probably reduced the risk of tipping or overturning, allowing the aircraft to float and enabling evacuation by nearby boats.