What happened
On an unscheduled flight from Maiquetia International Airport, a BAe-3100 Jetstream 31, registration YV3536, operated by Sundance Air Venezuela, C.A., experienced a landing gear indication issue shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was performing a commercial flight from El Yaque, Nueva Esparta, to Canaima, Bolívar, carrying 19 people (two crew members and 17 passengers).
At 11:38 UTC, after the crew retracted the main landing gear for the initial climb, they observed that the indicator lights signaling the successful retraction of the gear remained illuminated. Following this indication, the pilot in command notified the Porlamar Tower of the decision to return to the airport. The aircraft landed safely at 11:50 UTC, with all passengers and crew members remaining unharmed.
The investigation
The investigation involved a review of crew licenses, medical certificates, flight logs, and maintenance records from the operator and the certified maintenance organization (OMAC). Investigators performed a 360-degree inspection of the main landing gear and conducted a fault search on the aircraft's systems.
During the technical examination, investigators identified an issue within the electrical circuitry. The investigation concluded that the landing gear could not be properly retracted due to a specific electrical failure. Following the discovery, repairs were performed on the affected line in accordance with the relevant maintenance manuals, and subsequent retraction tests were successful.