What happened
On January 12, 2022, at 13:53 UTC, a Douglas DC-9-82, registration YV2945, operated by LASER Airlines, was performing a takeoff from Maiquetia International Airport (SVMI) bound for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The aircraft was carrying 105 passengers and 6 crew members.
After passing the decision speed (V1), the pilot observed a left generator failure light (L. Gen Off), indicating that the left generator was no longer distributing power to the aircraft. Although the crew immediately implemented the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) procedures to address the irregularity, the situation intensified approximately 17 miles from the airport. As the aircraft climbed through 6,000 feet, several instruments in the captain's cockpit ceased to function. The commander requested a return to Maiquetia Approach Control. The aircraft landed safely at SVMI at 14:03 UTC with no injuries to the occupants.
The investigation
The JIAAC investigation included interviews with the flight crew, a review of pilot licenses and medical certifications, and an audit of the operator's maintenance records and airworthiness documentation. Investigators focused on the electrical system of the left generator to identify the source of the failure.
Technical inspections of the aircraft revealed a broken wire within the insulation of a cannon plug (P18-03), which had caused a short circuit upon contact with the airframe structure. Additionally, investigators found that a specific wiring harness (K 12 to 16) lacked adequate protection.