Venezuelan Cessna TU206G Incident at La Paragua (YV1490)

Incident Overview and Operator Details On December 21, 2013, a Cessna TU206G with registration YV1490 and serial number U20604824 was operating a commercial flight for Transport Amazonair, C.A. The aircraft, manufactured in 1979, departed from runway 08/26 at La Paragua aerodrome (SVGA) in Bolívar state, Venezuela. The incident was reported to the Dirección General para la Prevención e Investigación de Accidentes Aéreos (DGPIAAE) under file number 053/2013. ## Sequence of Events Approximately seven minutes after takeoff, during the initial climb, the pilot-in-command detected a strong burning smell followed by smoke entering the cabin. The pilot initiated emergency procedures by opening the windows and returning to SVGA. The pilot subsequently observed fire reflections on the right side of the aircraft, with flames entering through the pedal area. The pilot lowered the nose of the aircraft and used the onboard fire extinguisher to extinguish the flames, successfully landing at La Paragua. The pilot and one passenger evacuated the aircraft after completing engine shutdown procedures. ## Damage and Injuries No fatalities or injuries were reported among the crew or passengers. The aircraft sustained significant damage to the engine cowlings, the lower part of the firewall, the lower right side of the cabin area, and the lower cargo compartment due to a fire in the lower right engine area. No other damage resulted from the incident. ## Probable Cause The DGPIAAE determined that the probable cause of the incident was the structural failure, due to thermal stress, of components in the exhaust gas flow control system. This failure resulted in the release of a spring-loaded piston and a leak of engine oil onto the exhaust nozzle, which ignited due to the high temperature of the exhaust.