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The video quickly went viral on social media, as is often the case these days. The footage shows a Tradewind aircraft crossing the Col de la Tourmente mountain pass as it prepares to land. The maneuver appears to be performed at a lower altitude and on a lower trajectory than usual. In any case, someone filmed the scene, facing the aircraft, probably with a phone. Until the phone was clearly hit by one of the landing gear wheels.
At first glance, it may seem that the images of this incident were created using artificial intelligence. This is not the case. The director of Saint Barthélemy Airport, Fabrice Danet, explains: "The incident took place on January 19. It is not a 'fake'. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and the BEA (Bureau of Investigation and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety) have already been notified. An investigation is underway."
The person who filmed the scene and whose phone was hit by the plane's landing gear was thrown to the ground but was not injured. Although the day on which the incident occurred was marked by strong winds, the airport director points out that the main problem was the pedestrian's position in a highly dangerous area.
"This type of incident has happened before," Fabrice Danet recalls. "People should not be there when planes are landing. They are putting themselves and others in danger. It should come as no surprise if the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authority, ed.) finally puts a stop to this and requires the installation of lights with height limits at the pass, loudspeakers, etc. The same problem exists at Juliana (Sint Maarten airport, ed.). During the festivities, we even saw a stroller get blown away on the beach."
The incident has reignited the debate on safety issues surrounding the landing phase over La Tourmente. Measures have been taken in recent years to discourage tourists from waiting for planes to pass on the roundabout. A viewing platform was built at great expense by the Collectivité on the hill overlooking the intersection and the runway, and more recently, parking spaces were added along Route de l'Œuf. However, these two measures have not been enough to deter visitors from their main goal: taking spectacular photographs. Therefore, in order to prevent a potentially serious accident, the airport director has submitted a series of recommendations to the president of the Collectivité.
Firstly, a decree prohibiting pedestrians from walking or parking on the runway axis at the Col de la Tourmente and on the beach during airport operating hours, with fines for violations.
Second, the deterrent effect of the sensitive area should be reinforced by installing a road safety barrier, as well as ground markings and enhanced signage, including information in English.
Fabrice Danet also suggests building a sidewalk on the side opposite the airport, along the rocky hill where the 180-degree viewpoint is located, as well as creating a suitable parking area. He also proposes removing the pedestrian crossing that allows visitors to cross the road to stand in the path of approaching aircraft.
On the technical side, he mentions installing two cameras at the pass to provide video surveillance of aircraft approaching, flying over the pass, and landing. He also suggests installing a loudspeaker to deter people (similar to the one installed at the end of the runway on the beach side).
