What happened
At 11:48 UTC, a Boeing 737-33A, registration YV630T, operated by Aerolineas Estelar Latinamérica, C.A., departed from Maiquetia International Airport (SVMI) bound for Maturin (SVMT). The aircraft was carrying 53 people, including 46 passengers and 7 crew members.
During the initial climb phase at approximately 12:02 UTC, the first officer attempted to retract the landing gear but found that the system would not respond to the lever, leaving the gear in the extended position. The flight crew immediately implemented the procedures outlined in the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH), but these actions did not resolve the issue. Consequently, the crew notified Maiquetia Approach Control of their intention to return to the departure airport. The aircraft landed safely on runway 10L at 12:08 UTC. All passengers and crew members were uninjured, and the aircraft taxied under its own power.
The investigation
The investigation involved interviews with the flight crew, a review of crew licenses and medical certifications, and an audit of the operator's documentation, including maintenance records and airworthiness certificates. Investigators also examined the records of the maintenance organization responsible for the most recent scheduled services.
Technical troubleshooting was performed on the aircraft following the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM) 32-32-00 procedures. This included testing the replacement of components, adjusting the Teleflex cable, and conducting operational tests to verify the retraction and extension times of the landing gear. The investigation confirmed that after performing corrective actions and adjustments based on manufacturer manuals, the operational test yielded satisfactory results.