What happened
On January 31, 2025, at 20:26 UTC, a privately owned Piper PA-34-200T, registration YV2007, was conducting a flight from Aeropuerto Metropolitano (SVMP) in Ocumare, Miranda, to Aeropuerto Internacional Oscar Machado Zuloaga (SVCS). The aircraft was operated by a single pilot.
During the initial climb and subsequent route, the flight proceeded normally. While requesting a PBN approach for runway 10 at Caracas under visual conditions, the pilot noticed degraded aircraft performance. Upon checking the flight parameters, the pilot discovered that the nose landing gear was down, even though the gear lever remained in the 'UP' position. An inspection of the electrical system revealed that the circuit breaker had tripped.
The pilot notified Tuy Approach Control, declaring that while no emergency was being declared, a return to the departure airport was necessary. Upon reaching Aeropuerto Metropolitano, the pilot followed the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) procedures and manually extended the landing gear to ensure it was fully locked. To confirm the gear's status, the pilot requested permission to fly past the control tower for visual verification by the controller. After receiving positive confirmation that the gear was down, the pilot completed a left-hand pattern and landed safely. There were no injuries and no damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The JIAAC investigation included interviews with the flight crew and a review of all relevant documentation, including pilot licenses, medical certificates, flight logs, and aircraft maintenance records. The investigation also involved the maintenance organization (OMAC-N° 665 OROLOGIO AVIATION, C.A.) to verify inspection logs and technical compliance.
Technical inspections were performed on the landing gear system and the electrical components of the gear lever. Physical examinations focused on the electrical wiring and the mechanism of the nose gear extension/retraction.
Findings
The investigation established that the primary cause of the incident was an electrical socket in contact with the landing gear lever's electrical system, which caused a short circuit and triggered the circuit breaker as a protective measure.