What happened
On October 7, 2025, at 14:40 UTC, a Douglas DC-9-82, registration YV3145, operated by LASER (Línea Aérea de Servicio Regional), was involved in a ground incident at General en Jefe Santiago Mariño Airport in Margarita, Venezuela. The aircraft, carrying 54 passengers and 6 crew members, was preparing for a flight to Simón Bolívar International Airport.
Following the completion of pushback procedures and the disconnection of the towbar, a pay mover vehicle experienced a mechanical failure. The operator lost control of the vehicle, causing it to impact the radome of the DC-9-82. There were no injuries to the passengers or crew, and the aircraft sustained only minor damage.
The investigation
The investigation involved interviews with the flight crew and the vehicle operator, as well as an inspection of the aircraft and the pay mover. Authorities reviewed various documents, including flight logs, maintenance records for the aircraft, and operational manuals for the ground service provider, Margarita Service Air, C.A.
Physical inspections of the pay mover revealed damage to the acceleration linkage system and the engine governor. Investigators also examined the aircraft's radome, which sustained localized impact damage.
Findings
- The investigation established that a fracture occurred in the acceleration linkage system within the engine governor of the pay mover.
- This mechanical failure caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
- Although the operator attempted to shut down the engine using the choke cable, the measure was unsuccessful, leading to the collision with the DC-09-82.
Safety action
Following the incident, the acceleration linkage system on the pay mover was replaced, and maintenance was performed on the engine governor system to restore the vehicle to operational status.