What happened
On 24 January 2014, a Winair De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter, registered PJ-WIS, was performing a scheduled commercial passenger flight from Princess Juliana International Airport to Saint-Barelémé Airport. During the visual final approach to runway 10, the crew experienced a sudden jolt while flying over the Col de la Tourmente pass.
Upon landing and backtracking the runway, the crew notified air traffic control of the impact. It was subsequently determined that the aircraft's slipstream had struck a pedestrian—a professional photographer—positioned near the roadway. The force of the aircraft's passage threw the individual to the ground and destroyed his camera. While the pedestrian required medical evaluation at a hospital, no injuries were diagnosed.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight path, crew experience, and the environmental conditions at the aerodrome. The captain, an experienced pilot with 9,500 total flight hours, was flying the aircraft in landing configuration. The investigation noted that the approach to runway 10 at Saint-Barthélemy is notoriously complex, often involving significant turbulence, updrafts, and downdrafts due to the terrain.
Investigators also reviewed the presence of unauthorized persons in the approach path. Although warning signs are posted to prohibit access to the restricted area and to prevent parking in the runway centerline, the photographer was positioned on the roadside within the aerodrome area constraints. The investigation also noted that while the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) listed hazards such as terrain and wind, it did not explicitly mention the risk of moving obstacles like pedestrians at the Col de la Tourmente.
Findings
- The incident was caused by the aircraft flying at an abnormally low height over the Col de la Tourmente pass combined with the presence of a pedestrian in the approach centerline.
- The low altitude of the aircraft may have been the result of the pilot incorrectly gauging the height or the aircraft being destabilized by turbulence common to the area.
- The pedestrian was positioned in a hazard zone despite the existence of signage prohibiting access to the restricted area.
- Since the event, physical barriers including a wall and a fence have been installed to prevent access to the outcrop and the restricted aerodrome area.