What happened
A scheduled service flight departed from Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport bound for Puerto Ordaz, transporting 125 passengers and a crew of 5. The flight crew consisted of a pilot in command, a captain serving as an instructor, and an additional co-pilot occupying the jump seat as an observer. During the initial takeoff roll at Caracas, the aircraft type experienced a rapid liftoff that resulted in a tail strike against the runway surface. Despite this incident, the flight continued to its destination.
During the final approach into Puerto Ordaz, the aircraft was traveling at an insufficient airspeed of 123.8 knots. This low speed caused the plane to descend heavily, leading to a hard landing. The impact caused the fuselage to bend at the rear cabin area, just ahead of the tail section. Furthermore, the force of the landing caused both engine pylons to detach from the fuselage. The aircraft managed to come to a complete stop on the primary runway, and all 130 occupants were evacuated without injury.
Findings
- The aircraft experienced a tail strike during the takeoff phase at the departure airport.
- An approach speed that was too low contributed to a heavy landing impact.
- The structural integrity of the fuselage was compromised at the aft cabin, and the engine pylons failed due to the landing forces.