Venezuelan MD-82 Strikes Cattle During Landing at Santo Domingo (YV348T)

Overview and Investigation Authority The Dirección General para la Prevención e Investigación de Accidentes Aéreos (DGPIAAE) of Venezuela’s Ministry of Popular Power for Aquatic and Aerial Transport issued a final technical report on an incident involving a commercial aircraft. The investigation was conducted under Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and was strictly administrative, intended to prevent similar occurrences rather than assign fault. ## Flight and Incident On 6 March 2012 at 01:08 UTC, McDonnell Douglas MD-82, serial 49120, registration YV348T, operated by Aserca Airlines, C.A., departed Simón Bolívar International Airport (SVMI) in Maiquetía, Vargas, bound for Santo Domingo International Airport (SVSO) in Táchira. The aircraft carried 125 passengers and six crew members. During the approach, the pilot in command contacted the Santo Domingo control tower for field conditions, runway parameters, wind, and QNH, and was authorized to land. In the landing phase, the captain applied a hard brake and stopped approximately 1,200 meters from the threshold after striking animals. The report initially described the animals as “venados” (deer) based on the captain’s statement, but subsequent airport verification determined the aircraft had struck five cows near the threshold of runway 30. ## Damage and Injuries The airframe sustained minor damage, while the engines were undamaged. No fatalities, serious injuries, or minor injuries were reported among the six crew members or 125 passengers. No collateral damage occurred at the scene.