DC-9-82 Stall Incident During Initial Climb from Maracaibo (YV3499)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 17 March 2023 at 11:05 UTC, a Douglas Aircraft Company DC-9-82, registration YV3499, serial 49392, and operated by Rutas Aéreas de Venezuela (RAVSA), began a takeoff roll from the Aeropuerto Internacional de La Chinita in Maracaibo, Venezuela (SVMC), bound for the Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen in Panama (MPTO). The aircraft carried 88 people: nine cabin crew members and 79 passengers. The planned fuel load was 38,000 pounds, with an estimated en-route time of 30 minutes and a range of 4 hours. The aircraft was certified for commercial transport, with a maximum takeoff weight of 130,000 pounds (59,000 kg). It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217A turbofan engines, each rated at 20,850 pounds of thrust. ## Event Sequence and Emergency Handling During the initial climb phase, at approximately 4,500 feet, the crew reported a loud noise accompanied by vibrations and erratic indications from the left engine, attributed to a stall. In accordance with the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH), the crew declared an emergency, notified air traffic services, and elected to return to the departure aerodrome. The aircraft landed at SVMC at 12:20 UTC without further incident. All occupants were reported unharmed, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left engine. ## Aircraft Certification and Maintenance At the time of the event, the aircraft was airworthy under a valid certificate issued by the state of registration. The type certificate, number A6WE, Revision 30, was issued by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 25 March 2014. The most recent scheduled and preventive maintenance services were performed by OMAC-N 441 Servicios Técnicos Aeronáuticos del Zulia, C.A., based at La Chinita. ## Crew Qualifications The pilot-in-command was 51 years old and held a valid Airline Transport Pilot license and medical certificate issued by the Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil (INAC). The pilot held a Captain/PIC rating for the MD80, with 1,800 hours as pilot-in-command on the type and 8,877 total flight hours. The first officer was 26 years old and held a valid Commercial Pilot license and medical certificate from INAC. The first officer held a Second-in-Command (SIC) rating for the MD80, with 800 hours as first officer on the type and 900 total flight hours. ## Investigation Findings and Ongoing Activities The investigation included crew interviews, review of maintenance records, airworthiness directives, and a visual inspection of the engine. The inspection confirmed a stall in the left engine, with visible damage to the turbine blades and low-pressure turbine sections. A borescopic inspection of the left engine, conducted in accordance with the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) 72-0000 and 72-00-00, revealed: * Combustion Chamber (CC7): No visible damage was observed. * Non-Guided Vanes (NGVs) in CC7: No visible damage was observed. * High-Pressure Turbine (HPT/T1): No visible damage was observed on the leading and trailing edges. * Low-Pressure Turbine (LPT/T2): No visible damage was observed on the leading edges. * Low-Pressure Turbine (LPT/T3): Extensive damage, out of limits in all sections, was observed. * Low-Pressure Turbine (LPT/T4): Extensive damage, out of limits in all sections, was observed. The engine was placed under custody with retention of aeronautical products under DGOAST/2023/N°0025. The investigation is ongoing, with pending activities including the transfer of the engine to a repair organization for further damage assessment and the preparation of the final report. ## Notification and International Coordination In accordance with Annex 13 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, the incident was reported through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ADREP system. The United States, as the state of design and manufacture, was notified via the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which assigned an accredited representative. The information is issued by the Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de Aviación Civil, part of the Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Transporte. All times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC); Venezuela is at UTC-4.