Incident Details
On January 5, 2022, at 15:40 UTC, a Boeing 737-200 aircraft, registration YV2823, operated by Avior Alas de Venezuela, departed from Aeropuerto Internacional del Caribe "General Santiago Mariño" in El Yaque, Nueva Esparta (SVMG), bound for Aeropuerto Internacional "Simón Bolívar" in Maiquetía, La Guaira (SVMI). During the initial climb, at approximately 1000 feet, the flight crew observed an "auto fail" indication on the pressurization panel. The pilot in command requested air traffic control to maintain an altitude of 4,000 feet to execute the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) procedure. Unable to resolve the pressurization failure, the crew decided to return to the departure airport. The aircraft landed without further incident, and all occupants were uninjured. The aircraft sustained no damage.
Aircraft and Crew
The aircraft, a Boeing 737-200 (serial number 23090), was powered by two Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines. It held a valid airworthiness certificate issued by the state of registry and had undergone recent scheduled maintenance by Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela, C.A., located at Simón Bolívar International Airport.
The captain, aged 41, held a valid medical certificate and license with instrument flight and B737 400/200 type ratings. He had accumulated 11,300 total flight hours, including 7,000 hours on the accident aircraft type. The first officer, aged 40, held valid credentials with instrument flight and B732/B734 type ratings, with 3,400 total flight hours (3,050 on type).
Investigation
The Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de Aviación Civil (JIAAC) initiated an investigation. Activities included interviews with the flight crew, review of maintenance records, documentation of the aircraft's air conditioning system, and photographic evidence. The investigation identified a ruptured heat exchanger (L-H secondary) in the air conditioning system, which was replaced. Traceability of the four installed heat exchangers and their time between overhauls (TBO) was conducted to validate corrective actions.
Weather conditions at the time, as per METAR, were unlimited and favorable for visual flight rules (VFR), with visibility greater than 10 kilometers and calm wind.
Findings
The preliminary report noted that the aircraft was airworthy at the time of the incident. The investigation remains open, with pending actions including inspection of heat exchangers across the Boeing 737/200 fleet.