2021 Embraer ERJ 190 aborted takeoff at Maiquetía (YV2944)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On August 30, 2021, at 16:22 UTC, an Embraer ERJ 190-100IGW with registration YV2944 and serial number 19000635 was preparing for a commercial passenger flight from Maiquetía's Simón Bolívar International Airport (SVMI) to El Yaque's General en Jefe Santiago Mariño International Airport (SVMG). The aircraft, owned by Consorcio Venezolano de Industrias Aeronáuticas y Servicios Aéreos, S.A. (CONVIASA), carried 112 people: two pilots, three cabin crew members, and 107 passengers. It was fueled with 11,023 pounds of fuel, providing an estimated 4.5 hours of endurance. ## Event Sequence During the takeoff roll on runway 09/27 at SVMI, the flight crew received an auto-throttle failure (AT FAIL) indication. Simultaneously, the captain's airspeed indicator failed to display information. The first officer reported an airspeed of 80 knots, but this reading did not appear on the captain's instrument. The crew decided to abort the takeoff, following normal procedures and using the call auto function. The aircraft returned to the apron under its own power. All occupants were unharmed, and the aircraft sustained no damage, though the reported malfunction persisted. ## Aircraft and Maintenance Background The Embraer ERJ 190-100IGW is a commercial transport aircraft with a capacity for 98 to 114 passengers. It features two General Electric CF34-10E turbofan engines, each with a maximum thrust of 20,000 pounds. The aircraft has a wingspan of 28.72 meters (94.3 feet) and a maximum takeoff weight of 51,800 kilograms (114,199 pounds). At the time of the incident, the aircraft was airworthy under a valid certificate of airworthiness (Control No. 014148) issued by the state of registration. The last preventive and scheduled maintenance was performed by OMAC-N 431, CONVIASA, located at the Simón Bolívar International Airport hangar in Maiquetía. The pilot in command was 49 years old, holding a valid air transport pilot license and 1,900 hours as pilot in command on the E190, with 3,900 total hours. The first officer was 29 years old, holding a commercial pilot license and E190 first officer rating. ## Investigation and Findings The investigation included crew interviews, collection of documentation from the crew, operator, and maintenance organization, and an inspection of the aircraft. During the inspection, it was noted that Embraer had ordered an update to the AFCS and ADSP software (PRIMUS EPIC) within a period of less than 48 months. Troubleshooting according to the fault isolation manual (AMM 22-11-00-81094M-A) found no discrepancies. The condition was determined to be the result of a transient failure in the AFCS, defined as a momentary loss of data in the system's computerized elements. The Smart Probe No. 1 (P/N 2015G2H2H-8A) was replaced. The ADSP component installed and functioning at the time of the incident was considered 'On Condition,' meaning it had no expiration date and was replaced only upon failure. It was determined that the component had reached the end of its useful life. Based on these findings, the investigation was closed.