Incident Overview
On 7 September 2022, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Copa Airlines, registration HP-1835, experienced a flap failure during a scheduled commercial flight. The aircraft was performing flight CMP111 from Tocumen International Airport (Panama) to Arturo Benítez International Airport (Chile). Due to unfavorable weather conditions at the intended destination, the flight crew decided to divert to the alternate airport, El Plumerillo International Airport in Mendoza, Argentina.
Aircraft and Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800, serial number 40770, with a maximum takeoff weight category of 27001–272000 kg. It was owned and operated by Copa Airlines. The flight was a regular commercial passenger service. On board were 6 crew members and 147 passengers. No injuries (mortal, serious, or minor) were reported among crew or passengers. The aircraft sustained no damage.
Investigation
The event was investigated by the Argentine National Directorate of Aeronautical Accident Investigation (DNISAE), part of the Junta de Seguridad en el Transporte (JST). On 18 September 2022, the National Director, Mariana Huber, issued a decision (PV-2022-98738027-APN-DNISAE#JST) to archive the investigation. The decision stated that the occurrence did not affect operational safety, thus no further investigation was warranted. The incident was classified as a system/component failure (non-powerplant), coded as SCF-NP.
Outcome
The aircraft landed safely at the alternate airport without further incident. The flap failure was the sole reported technical issue. The investigation file was closed and transferred to archives.