2012 Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III accident near Saint Martin Grand Case

Overview and flight details On 5 May 2012, a Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III, registration F-GXES, operated by Transports Aériens InterCaraïbes (TAI), crashed into the sea approximately 3 nautical miles from the aerodrome of Saint Martin Grand Case (971). The flight was a public transport medical evacuation, designated TIF520, from Saint Martin Grand Case to Fort-de-France/Aimé Césaire in Martinique. The aircraft departed runway 12 at 2:39 local time. Minutes later, it struck the water surface slightly to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot reported no difficulties and did not transmit a distress message. ## Casualties and damage All four people on board were killed: one pilot and three passengers. The aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact with the water. No other damage was reported. ## Investigation and findings The French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) opened a safety investigation. The wreckage was located on 5 May at approximately 07:20 local time, and recovery operations were completed on 10 May. Debris was transported to mainland France for examination. The examination of the wreckage did not reveal any technical failure likely to have significantly affected the aircraft’s performance. The absence of flight recorders prevented a precise determination of the circumstances. ## Probable cause and recommendations The causes of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the near-permanent standby status of the flight crew and the single-pilot operation may have contributed to the accident. The BEA issued three safety recommendations to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) concerning: the mandatory carriage of flight recorders on all aircraft operated in commercial air transport; the requirement for a two-pilot crew on medical evacuation flights; and the consideration of off-airport standby time in future flight-time limitation regulations for medical evacuation flights. Additionally, the BEA recommended that the DGAC ensure operators verify that pilots on off-airport standby are fit to commence a flight at any time.