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msn 254
DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300
F-OGES
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 254

Series 300

N302MA

F-OGES

• Registration • Activity and details of Owner/Operator and other historical information

• N302MA de Havilland Canada Inc., Downsview, ON. Rolled out 27-Jun-1969. First flight 02-Jul-1969.

• N302MA MAC - Miami Aviation Corporation, Opa Locka, FL. Delivered 22-Jul-1969.

Note: Remained at Downsview, ON all white c/s until Feb-1970 & rolled out 06-Feb-1970 in Air Guadeloupe colour scheme.

• N302MA MAC - Miami Aviation Corporation, Opa Locka, FL (American National Bank of Jacksonville, OR). Regd 27-Mar-1970.

• N302MA Leased to Air Guadeloupe. Les Abymes. Regd 23-Mar-1970.

• F-OGES Re-regd to Air Guadeloupe. Les Abymes 05-Jun-1970.

• F-OGES Leased to Air Saint-Barthélémy, Gustavia. Jun-1997.

• F-OGES Sold to Air Saint-Barthélémy, Gustavia. (Air Vendee Investissements). Regd 06-Jul-1999.

• F-OGES Merged with Air Caraibes, Les Abymes.  Regd Jul-2000. Canx 22-Nov-2016.

Accident Saint-Barthélémy 24-Mar-2001: The Twin Otter plane was on a 10-minute inter island flight between St. Maarten and Saint-Barthélémy and approached Saint-Barthélémy from the West for a visual approach and landing on runway 10. While on finals over the 'Col de la Tourmente', the aircraft was seen making a sharp turn to the left. The Twin Otter struck a house on the 'Col de la Tourmente' and caught fire. A man on the ground was also killed and his wife was injured. While on finals the captain probably selected "beta reverse range" on the propellers in order to slow down. Upon vigorously pushing back the power levers to their normal position, an asymmetric power condition developed. The Twin Otter rolled to the left and crashed. Saint-Barthélémy is known for the difficult approach to the airport and pilots flying into Saint-Barthélémy need to have a special certification. After overflying 'Col de la Tourmente' a quick steep descent has to be made to land at runway 10, a 2100 feet runway which ends up in sea. The aircraft overfly the 'Col de la Tourmente' at a height of 10m or less. Two crew, seventeen passengers and one person on the ground killed.

PROBABLE CAUSES: "The accident appears to result from the Captain's use of the propellers in the reverse beta range, to improve control of his track on short final. A strong thrust asymmetry at the moment when coming out of the reverse beta range would have caused the loss of yaw control, then roll control of the aircraft.

The investigation could not exclude three other hypotheses which can nevertheless be classified as quite unlikely:

- A loss of control during a go-around.

- A loss of control due to a stall.

- A loss of control due to sudden incapacitation of one of the pilots.

The Captain's lack of recent experience on this airplane type, the undeniable difficulty of conducting an approach to runway 10 at Saint-Barthélemy and the pressure of time during this flight were contributory factors. The low height at which the loss of control occurred was an aggravating factor."

Written off

N302MA being rolled out at Downsview - CYZD.
Photo: Unknown photographer © June 1969 - Michael J. Ody Collection
N302MA posing on the Downsview ramp. LV-PLM (msn 158) in the background.
Photo: Unknown photographer © July 1969 - Michael J. Ody Collection
F-OGES at Pointe-à-Pitrie - TFFR, Guadeloupe.
Photo: Bernard Crocoll © 30 April 1972 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives
F-OGES at Fort-de-France / Le Lamentin - TFFF, Martinique.
Photo: Ron Kosys © 20 July 1974 - Aird Archives
F-OGES of AIR GUADELOUPE at Saint Barthélémy - TFFJ.
Photo: Unknown photographer © December 1980 - Michael J. Ody Collection
F-OGES in second colour scheme.
Photo: Unknown photographer © February 1987 - Michael J. Ody Collection
F-OGES at Opa-locka, in third scheme.
Photo: Nigel Chalcraft © 05 February 1989 - Michael J. Ody Collection
F-OGES Line up and wait.
Photo: Unknown photographer © June 2006 - Michael J. Ody Collection
F-OGES Finals.
Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Michael J. Ody Collection
F-OGES of AIR CARAÏBES at Fort-de-France / Le Lamentin - TFFF, Martinique.
Photo: Christian Volpati © October 2000 - Aird Archives