Incident Overview
On April 8, 2015, at approximately 10:40 local time, a privately operated Cessna 425 with registration N239JP experienced an accident while landing at the Saint-Barthélemy aerodrome (977). The aircraft was on a general aviation flight from Pointe-à-Pitre (971) to Saint-Barthélemy. The pilot and one passenger were aboard; both survived, but the aircraft sustained damage.
Flight Progression
During the final approach for runway 28, the pilot executed a left turn and overshot the centerline, resulting in an offset to the right. Although the pilot managed to realign with the runway axis, the main landing gear touched down on the cleared strip to the left of the runway threshold. The aircraft subsequently struck several light beacons before returning to the paved surface.
Environmental Conditions and Pilot Input
Weather data recorded at 10:40 indicated a wind from 070° at 14 knots with gusts up to 25 knots, clear skies (CAVOK), and a temperature of 27°C. The pilot reported hearing another aircraft on the runway frequency prior to entering the circuit and stated that they had misinterpreted the wind direction and strength. A ground witness corroborated the pilot's account, observing the aircraft offset to the right before it landed in the grass to the left of the runway, hit signage panels, and then returned to the pavement.
Pilot Qualifications
The pilot held a Commercial Pilot License (CPL) with Instrument Rating (FI) and Class Rating Instructor (CRI) qualifications. They possessed over 7,800 total flight hours, including 800 hours on type.