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Fatal Nighttime Crash of Ambulance Flight into Sea Near Papeete-Faaa Airport (F-GDHV)

Papeete, French PolynesiaLanding (descent or approach)

On May 27, 1994, a Mitsubishi MU-2 Marquise (registration F-GDHV) operated by Air Oceania Tahiti was involved in an aviation accident near Papeete, French Polynesia during landing or approach. 5 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered F-GDHV
Aircraft registered F-GDHV. Photo: Rob Hodgkins / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A twin-engine aircraft on an ambulance flight from Rarotonga to Tahiti crashed into the sea during a night approach to Papeete-Faaa Airport, killing all five occupants.

Incident Overview and Flight Details The aircraft was operating an ambulance flight from Rarotonga in the Cook Islands to Tahiti. The flight carried two Australian patients, two doctors, and one pilot, for a total of five people on board. ## Approach and Impact During a nighttime final approach to runway 04 at Papeete-Faaa Airport, the twin-engine aircraft descended too low. It struck the water surface in a flat attitude approximately 6.4 km short of the runway. No distress call was sent before impact. ## Casualties and Contributing Factors All five occupants were killed in the crash. The investigation noted that, for unknown reasons, the pilot did not realize the altitude was insufficient on short final. Poor visibility and a lack of visual references were considered contributing factors.

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