Venezuelan Boeing 737-33A Returns to Maiquetía After Pressurization Issue (YV642T)

Incident Overview On 27 February 2022 at 15:31 UTC, aircraft registration YV642T departed Simón Bolívar International Airport (SVMI) in Maiquetía, Venezuela, bound for El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia. The flight was a positioning leg ahead of a charter service to Maturín, Venezuela, carrying passengers. ## In-Flight Event During climb to cruise level, the cabin pressure began to rise as the aircraft crossed 20,000 ft. A check of the right engine pneumatic system showed it was not reaching the required minimum value. The left engine pneumatic system gave no indication because it was deferred due to a bleed valve failure. ## Response and Outcome The pilot in command applied emergency procedures for cabin pressurization failure and requested to return to the departure airport. The aircraft landed at SVMI without damage, and no occupants were injured. ## Aircraft and Crew The aircraft was a Boeing 737-33A, serial number 27267, a twin-engine turbofan transport with retractable tricycle landing gear. It was configured for 119 passengers and 5 crew members. The engines were CFM International CFM-56-3B2 units with a maximum thrust of 16,000 lb each, and the maximum takeoff weight was 117,000 lb. The aircraft held valid registration, airworthiness, and radio station certificates issued by INAC. The pilot in command was 61 years old with 15,847 flight hours and held an airline transport pilot license, medical certificate, and type ratings for B732 and B733. The first officer was 37 years old with 1,749 flight hours and held a commercial pilot license, medical certificate, and B732 first officer type rating. ## Weather and Reporting Weather conditions included winds of 09 kt from 070°, visibility of 999 m, and generally good conditions throughout the day. The event was reported through the JIAAC 011/2022 form to the ADREP system and ICAO, and the U.S. NTSB was notified as the state of design and manufacture.