What happened
On January 19, 2011, while undergoing refueling at Oscar Machado Zuloaga Airport (SVCS), the pilot of a private Cessna 402B, registration YV2321, discovered significant damage to the underside of the right wing. The aircraft had previously completed a flight itinerary between SVCS, Hato Piñero, and Hato El Cedral Mantecal on January 15, 2011, which was reported as having proceeded normally. Upon inspecting the aircraft during refueling, the pilot noted the structural damage but stated he was unaware of how or where the impact had occurred. There were no injuries to the crew, and while the airframe sustained significant damage, the engines and propellers remained unaffected.
The investigation
The investigation was initiated after the pilot reported the findings to the Directorate General for the Prevention and Investigation of Aircraft Accidents (DGPIAAE). Although the authority was notified ten days after the discovery, the investigation was conducted to establish the facts regarding the aircraft's condition. The investigation reviewed maintenance records, which showed the aircraft had undergone a 50-hour inspection on November 3, 2010, and had approximately 38.4 hours of flight time since that inspection. The investigation focused on determining if any identifiable cause for the wing damage could be established through the flight logs or mechanical inspections.