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DA40NG Ditched into the sea near Calvi (Austro AE300 engine failures)

Good evening fellow pilots,
A plane from my ATO ditched into the mediterranean sea this evening. My source said there were 3 pob (1ins and 2 students), all survived and jumped into a life raft. An copter from near base of Solenzara get them away.
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=248543

https://www.corsematin.com/articles/crash-dun-avion-de-tourisme-avec-3-personnes-a-bord-au-large-de-calvi-116123

Where the importance of liferaft when going oversea on a single engine…

https://fr.flightaware.com/live/flight/FHRPM

The flight itself, they decide to turn back to Calvi 1 or 2 minutes after engine failed. It seems that the plane did squawk when ditched.

Last Edited by greg_mp at 05 Mar 20:06
LFMD, France

Thank God they made it so well !
That far from shore, the raft definitely helped.

Their story will definitely be good learning.

LFOU, France

So far light injuries for the pilot, other are safe in Ajaccio hospital.
They could inflate and jump into the raft. The CROSS Cross did coordinate a mirage 2000 to overfly them, and confirm position with a tanker passing nearby. An army helicopter rescue them to the hospital. I’ll hope to get some testimonials about ditching. Actually they managed it well although you are never really prepared, even in Cannes, where a EFATO will always lead to a ditching.

LFMD, France

Wow. Should be interesting to know what caused the engine failure, would be an Austroengine?

Glad for the outcome, well done.

LSZH(work) LSZF (GA base), Switzerland

The Prefecture Maritime (very roughly the Coast Guard) has it with a Securite Civile helicopter rather than a Mirage.
https://twitter.com/Premarmed/status/1367936801630007302/photo/1

Nympsfield, United Kingdom

That would be an Austro AE300 yes.

I am flying these aircraft regularly and have been following up. Below are 8 other engine failures on the NG. Some of them seem to be a partial power around 35% resulting in a forced landing.
Granted 400+ NG’s have been built, but still I’m not as comfortable as I am with a Lyco up front..

https://planecrashmap.com/plane/az/N154BY/
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/213094
http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2016/12/diamond-star-da40-ng-n605sj-accident.html
https://www.diamondaviators.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6691
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5778256/ao-2017-090-final.pdf
https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/news/2020/10/27/atc-audio-pilot-loses-engine-on-ifr-flight/
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/235357
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/229068

Belgium

Glade the crew manage it, still very cold in the season but looks they were ready !

I think for flying behind an Austro AE300 one has to keep a good check of JetA fuel quality, less likely for operating in Europe but something I kept in mind when refuelling DA40NG before going into water & terrain, it would be interesting to know if they refuelled in Ajaccio? Calvi? Cannes? we had a partial power loss on DA40 about 10min in the climb, it did maintain level flight at 90kts and 40% power with few erratic surges, I understand from maintenance/manufacturer feedback it was a bad injector behavior (possible injection timing or fuel quality was faulty), there is now an SB for 900h injector change plus load of emphasis on water & sediments drain (nothing was found before departure)

Unlike the dinosaurs in Lyco, they are probably more happy “with low quality Avgas” but they could also quit on departure: use all runway & sump fuel & plan for it

Last Edited by Ibra at 05 Mar 23:45
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Good job by the crew!

@danblasier
Any trend observable on these 8 other engine failures? Or is it totally random?

always learning
LO__, Austria

And it was at night, 50km from shore.

Great job indeed !!

LFOU, France

Great job !
Jujupilote wrote:

And it was at night, 50km from shore.

Nope, SS at Calvi is 18:21 LT. Fortunately…. I don’t even want to think about a night ditching !

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