What happened
On 16 February 2020, a Piper PA32-300, registration F-OKGO, was conducting a parachute drop flight near Fort-de-France, Martinique. The aircraft, operated by Air Colibri Parachutimisme, was performing its second rotation of the day. During the climb to 3,000 meters, the pilot noticed engine misfires and a reduction in engine speed. At the time, the pilot believed the left fuel tank still contained approximately 10 US gallons of fuel.
After completing the parachute deployment at the planned altitude, the pilot transitioned into a descent. During this phase, the engine symptoms appeared to stabilize, leading the pilot to believe the technical issue had resolved. He subsequently initiated a return to the Fort-de-France aerodrome. However, while on final approach for runway 10, the pilot attempted to increase power using the throttle, which resulted in the engine behaving erratically and losing all responsiveness. The pilot notified air traffic control of the engine failure before ditching the aircraft in the bay. The pilot successfully evacuated the aircraft before it sank, and was rescued by boat 25 minutes later. There were no fatalities among the five persons on board, though the aircraft was destroyed.
The investigation
The BEA examined data recovered from the aircraft's Engine Data Manager (EDM) and Primary Flight Display (PFD). The EDM analysis revealed that the engine's fuel flow rate showed quick variations consistent with fuel starvation during the climb. The investigation also noted that the aircraft had recently completed a long maintenance period.
Investigators reviewed the operator's training protocols and the pilot's experience. While the pilot was experienced in parachute operations, he had limited experience with this specific aircraft model. The investigation also looked into the fuel management practices, noting that the pilot had not changed the fuel tank selector from the left tank since the start of the flight.