What happened
On 16 January 2024, at approximately 16:45 UTC, a Pilatus PC-12/45, registered as N668TW, was conducting a commercial flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Saint Barthélemy (TFFJ), France. During the approach phase of the flight, the aircraft became destabilized. As the aircraft descended, it made contact with vegetation on its left side, which caused the plane to bank sharply to the right. Despite the impact with the vegetation, the aircraft managed to complete the landing safely.
The investigation
The investigation into the incident was initiated by the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la sécurité de l'aviation civile (BEA). The inquiry focused on the flight conditions and the sequence of events leading to the aircraft's contact with the ground vegetation. The aircraft, operated by Tradewind Aviation Llc, sustained slight damage as a result of the encounter.
Findings
Investigators determined that the primary factor in the aircraft's instability during the approach was likely gusty wind conditions. This atmospheric turbulence contributed to the loss of control stability, leading to the subsequent strike against the vegetation on the left side of the aircraft.