Preliminary Investigation of In-Flight Engine Event Involving RAV DC-9-82 (YV3475)

Incident Overview and Aircraft Details On 1 December 2021 at 17:21 UTC, an aircraft registered YV3475, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 with serial number 49511, operated by Rutas Aéreas de Venezuela RAV, S.A., departed from the Aeropuerto Internacional Del Caribe “General Santiago Mariño” in El Yaque, Nueva Esparta (SVMG), bound for the Aeropuerto “Jacinto Lara” in Barquisimeto, Lara (SVBM). The aircraft was certified for commercial public air transport, with a maximum takeoff weight of 63,503 kg (139,960.6 lb) and was powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217A/C turbofan engines. At the time of the event, the aircraft held valid airworthiness and registration certificates issued by the Instituto Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil (INAC). ## In-Flight Event and Crew Actions During descent toward SVBM, at an altitude between 5,000 and 8,000 ft, the crew reported hearing a loud noise and a loss of parameters for engine number 3. All occupants were reported unharmed. The aircraft continued with the described malfunction. The captain held an airline transport pilot license, instrument instructor rating, and MD80 captain type rating, while the first officer held a commercial pilot license, both issued by INAC. Meteorological conditions at the departure airport were unlimited and favorable for instrument flight rules (IFR) operations. ## Maintenance Findings and Investigation Activities The maintenance organization that performed the last scheduled maintenance was OMAC-N 441 Servicios Técnicos Aeronáuticos del Zulia, C.A. On 2 December, OMAC personnel traveled to Barquisimeto and began troubleshooting the engine. They identified a shorted and overheated solenoid in the automatic reserve thrust (ART) system, which had sent a signal to the turbine fuel control unit, causing the engine to go to maximum power. After replacing the solenoid, an engine run showed takeoff parameters with a temperature of 230°C and a barometric pressure of 29.9. ## Notifications and Preliminary Status In accordance with Annex 13, Chapter 4, the event was reported through form JIAAC 059/2021 to the ICAO ADREP system, and the United States, as the state of design and manufacture, was notified by email. The NTSB was identified as the U.S. accident investigation authority. The investigation was in its development and execution phase, and the preliminary information was subject to change and possible errors, to be corrected in the final report. The report was issued in Caracas on 15 December 2021 by the Junta Investigadora de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil, under the Ministry of the People’s Power for Transport.