Incident Overview
On October 23, 2023, a Boeing 737-33A with registration YV630T departed from the Simón Bolívar International Airport (SVMI) in Maiquetía, Venezuela, bound for José Tadeo Monagas International Airport (SVMT) in Maturín. The aircraft, operated by Aerolineas Estelar Lationamérica, C.A., carried 53 people on board, consisting of seven crew members and 46 passengers.
Operational Sequence
At 12:02 UTC, during the initial climb phase, the first officer attempted to retract the landing gear. The lever could not be moved due to a system malfunction, leaving the gear extended. The flight crew immediately applied procedures from the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) without success. Consequently, the crew notified Maiquetía Approach Control and initiated a return to the departure airport.
At 12:08 UTC, the aircraft landed safely on runway 10L. All passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft unharmed. The weather conditions at the time were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with calm winds and unlimited visibility.
Investigation Findings
The investigation team conducted a detailed analysis of the landing gear system, including trouble-shooting based on the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM 32-32-00). Tests confirmed that the issue stemmed from an irregularity in a nut attached to the air/ground sensor. This misalignment prevented the sensor from sending the correct signal via the Teleflex cable to the lock solenoid, which in turn inhibited the retraction of the landing gear lever.
Corrective Actions and Conclusion
Maintenance personnel adjusted the affected component and performed operational tests for extension and retraction times, ensuring they met the manufacturer's specifications (maximum 9 seconds). The final operational test was satisfactory. The Accident Investigation Board (JIA) determined that the probable cause of the incident was the misadjusted nut on the air/ground sensor, which disabled the lock solenoid and prevented gear retraction.