Incident Overview
On February 27, 2026, a Beech Aircraft Corporation A100, registration YV1306, departed Guasipati Aerodrome (SVGT) at 16:55 UTC. The aircraft was en route to Simón Bolívar International Airport (SVMI) in Maiquetía with three individuals on board: a pilot, a co-pilot, and one passenger. The flight proceeded under visual flight rules (VFR) without reported anomalies until the approach phase.
Mechanical Failure and Response
During the approach to runway 10R, the crew observed an anomalous indication upon extending the landing gear. The control panel displayed only two green lights, while the gear handle remained illuminated in red, indicating the right main gear was not secured. Verification tests confirmed a mechanical fault. The crew requested a holding pattern to perform emergency extension procedures, but the gear handle was mechanically locked, preventing deployment via the emergency system.
Emergency Landing and Aftermath
To reduce weight, the aircraft maintained a holding pattern for fuel consumption. A low pass over the runway allowed air traffic control to visually confirm that the right gear was extended but unstable. The crew executed an emergency landing on runway 10R. During the braking roll, the instability of the right main gear caused the aircraft to excursion onto the grass margin between intersections C and G. Emergency services were activated immediately. All occupants were unharmed, and the aircraft sustained minor damage.
Investigation Findings
Post-incident inspection revealed structural damage to the right landing gear assembly. The investigation determined that the causal factor was a fracture in the torque tube. This component is maintained under an "On-Condition" philosophy, meaning it remains in service until physical conditions dictate otherwise, with no specific time-based parameter to predict such failure. Maintenance records were current at the time of the event.