What happened
On an unnamed date in 2024, a McDonnell Douglas MD-81 (registration YV2923), operated by LASER, departed from Maiquetia International Airport bound for Maracaibo's La Chinita International Airport. The aircraft was carrying 89 passengers and 7 crew members.
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the landing gear failed to retract completely, remaining stuck in a mid-position. The flight crew continued the flight until completing the MARS 1 instrument departure procedure. After notifying Maracaibo Approach Control of the situation, the crew requested and was granted authorization to enter a holding pattern.
The captain applied the procedures established in the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) to manage the malfunction. Once the situation was stabilized, the crew proceeded to return to Maiquetia. The aircraft landed safely at SVMI without further incident; all passengers and crew members were uninjured, though the aircraft sustained damage related to the gear malfunction.
The investigation
The JIAAC conducted an investigation that included interviews with the flight crew and inspections of the aircraft alongside the airline's maintenance technicians. The investigation involved a review of pilot licenses, medical certificates, flight logs, and the aircraft's airworthiness and maintenance records.
Technical examinations focused on the landing gear system, specifically inspecting the anti-retraction cables and the ground sensing control mechanism. Investigators performed a fault analysis in accordance with the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) and conducted photographic documentation of components such as the replacement cable for the ground sensing control.