What happened
On February 27, 2026, a Beechcraft A100, registration YV1306, departed from Guasipati Aerodrome for Maiquetía International Airport with a crew of two and one passenger. The flight proceeded normally under visual flight rules (VFR) until the approach phase to runway 10R.
During landing gear extension, the crew observed an abnormal indication: only two green lights were illuminated on the control panel, while the landing gear lever remained red, indicating that the right main gear was not properly locked. The crew attempted several troubleshooting steps, including extending the flaps beyond the approach position and reducing engine torque to 4 and 400 pounds, but the "gear unsafe" audio alarm continued to sound. Attempts to deploy the gear using the manufacturer's emergency system were unsuccessful because the control lever became mechanically jammed.
The crew entered a holding pattern to manage fuel consumption and weight. During a low pass requested for visual inspection, air traffic control reported that the right gear appeared extended but unstable. The crew subsequently performed an emergency landing on runway 10R. During the landing roll, the instability of the right main gear caused the aircraft to veer off the runway into the grass between intersections C and G. There were no injuries to the occupants, though the aircraft sustained various damages.
The investigation
The investigation involved reviewing maintenance records, interviewing the crew, and conducting a physical inspection of the aircraft alongside a certified maintenance organization. Investigators examined the landing gear assembly and identified several structural failures, including damage to the right propeller track, the right flap, the right aileron, and the right wing leading edge. The inspection specifically focused on the right main landing gear components, noting that the torque tube was fractured and several gear doors required replacement.