What happened
On December 28, 2024, at approximately 20:40 local time, a close encounter occurred in the airspace near Sugarloaf, close to Saint Barthélemy Airport (TFFJ). Two aircraft, both operating commercially on flights originating from Saint Martin Airport (TCNM) and destined for Saint Barthélemy, were involved in the incident.
The first aircraft, a Pilatus PC12 with registration F-ONGX, was operated by St-Barth Executive. The second aircraft, a Britten-Norman BN2A registered as PJ-SXM, was operated by SXM Airways. The encounter took place during the approach phase of their respective flights.
The investigation
Following the notification of the airprox, the French Bureau d’Encrotes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile (BEA) initiated an investigation into the circumstances of the close encounter. The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (SUST) provided notification of the event as it involved an aircraft registered in France.
Findings
At this stage of the investigation, the specific details regarding the flight rules and the exact nature of the separation loss have not been detailed in the initial notification. The primary finding is the occurrence of a serious airprox incident during the approach to the airport.