What happened
On April 8, 2015, a private Cessna 425, registration N239JP, was conducting a general aviation flight from Pointe-à-Pitre to Saint-Barthélemy. During the final approach to runway 28, the pilot performed a left turn that resulted in the aircraft drifting right of the runway centerline. Although the pilot managed to realign the aircraft with the axis, the main landing gear touched down left of the runway threshold in the cleared area.
During the landing roll, the aircraft struck several runway markers before eventually returning to the paved surface. The pilot reported hearing another aircraft operating on runway 28 via radio prior to joining the circuit. At the time of the incident, local weather conditions included a wind from 070° at 14 knots with gusts up to 25 knots, indicating a significant tailwind component for the approach to runway 28.
The investigation
The investigation, based on statements from the pilot and an eyewitness, focused on the flight path and the environmental conditions at the time of the accident. The BEA examined the aircraft's trajectory during the final approach and the impact with ground obstacles. The pilot, a highly experienced flight instructor with over 7,800 total flying hours, including 800 hours on this specific type, noted that he had miscalculated the wind direction and intensity.