Incident Overview
On February 6, 2009, a private-use Piper PA-34-220T Seneca IV with registration YV2492 was involved in an accident at Barinas Airport (SVBI) in Venezuela. The incident occurred during the landing phase when the aircraft's left main landing gear failed to deploy fully. The pilot and one passenger were aboard; both survived without injury, while the aircraft sustained significant structural damage.
Flight Details and Sequence of Events
The aircraft departed from a runway designated "Arismendi" at approximately 16:00 local time on a Visual Flight Rules (VFR) plan for Barinas. The flight distance was approximately 95 nautical miles, with an estimated duration of 40 minutes. As the aircraft approached Barinas, the pilot reported to air traffic control that the left main gear would not lower. Following this report, the pilot requested and received authorization to land on the auxiliary runway 04/22 to minimize potential disruptions to regular airport operations.
Aircraft Condition and Damage Assessment
The investigation identified the aircraft as a 1994-manufactured Piper PA-34-220T Seneca IV, serial number 3448054. It was powered by two Teledyne Continental engines and equipped with McCauley propellers. At the time of the accident, the aircraft had accumulated 1,024.10 total flight hours.
Upon landing with the left main gear partially extended, the aircraft slid off the runway to the left due to inertia and the absence of full gear support. The resulting friction and contact with the ground caused the following damage:
- Left Main Gear: Collapsed backward without being fully extended.
- Flaps: Suffered wrinkles and bends near the fuselage due to the gear collapse and ground contact.
- Propeller: A slight bend was observed on the tip of one blade on the left propeller from pavement friction.
- Other Components: The left main gear door detached, and the left pitot tube sustained partial rupture and detachment from its base.
Investigation Context
The investigation was conducted by the Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Board (JIAAC) under the Ministry of Popular Power for Transport and Communications. The primary objective, in accordance with Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention and Venezuelan aviation law, was to determine the causes and contributing factors to prevent future occurrences, rather than to assign blame or liability.