2008 DHC-6 Incident at Pointe-à-Pitre

Incident Overview and Flight Details On June 28, 2008, a De Havilland DHC-6 with registration V2-LFL was operating a scheduled international passenger flight, LIA 131, from VC Bird International Airport in Antigua to Pointe-à-Pitre. The aircraft was owned by Acquisition Air, operated by Carib Aviation, and chartered by Leeward Island Air Transport. The flight crew consisted of two pilots, and the aircraft carried seven adult passengers and one infant. ## Approach and Deviation The crew initially intended to conduct the approach under visual flight rules but encountered thunderstorms near the aerodrome, prompting a request for an instrument approach. Radar guidance was unavailable due to technical issues, so the aircraft entered a holding pattern on the VOR PPR. During the ILS/DME RWY 11 CHARLIE procedure, the captain instructed the pilot flying to extend the outbound leg to avoid a convective cloud. ## Safety Altitude Breach While turning for the procedure reversal, the aircraft descended to 2,200 ft in a sector where the minimum safe altitude was 3,600 ft. The aircraft had left the protected airspace and approached terrain rising to 1,500 ft. Air traffic control observed the abnormally low altitude and instructed the crew to climb to 3,600 ft. The aircraft subsequently intercepted the localizer at 2,600 ft while climbing and completed the approach and landing normally. ## Investigation Findings The Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) determined that the incident resulted from the crew extending the outbound leg beyond the procedure reversal point to avoid weather, causing the aircraft to leave the protected airspace and descend below the minimum safe altitude. The investigation led to safety recommendations regarding the use of Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems (TAWS) in visual flight rules, cartographic relief information, and flight recorders.