Investigation Summary
The flight departed Maiquetía for a short hop to the popular tourist destination of Los Roques. During the flight, the pilot radioed air traffic control to report that both engines had failed and that he intended to ditch the aircraft in the sea. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were reported as poor. Initial search efforts were hampered by the depth of the water and the lack of a precise impact location. A spot of liquid was briefly sighted by another Transaven aircraft, but it dissipated before it could be investigated. The discovery of the co-pilot's body 12 kilometers off the coast, along with his life vest, confirmed the aircraft had impacted the water. The wreckage was eventually located by the specialized search vessel Sea Scout, which was in the area searching for the wreckage of the 2013 Missoni Los Roques BN-2 Islander disappearance, which had occurred exactly five years to the day after the Transaven crash.
Final Conclusions
While the crew reported a dual engine failure prior to ditching, the official investigation by the JIAAC (report 001/2008) did not establish a definitive probable cause for the failure. The wreckage was located in 2013 at a depth of 970 meters, approximately nine kilometers south of Los Roques. Due to the extreme depth and the economic crisis in Venezuela, no significant recovery operations for the airframe or the remaining occupants were conducted following the discovery.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Walter M601E Engines
The aircraft was powered by two turboprop engines; the crew reported that both units failed simultaneously or in quick succession.
Emergency Flotation Gear
The co-pilot was found with a life vest, indicating at least some preparation for ditching occurred before impact.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Czechoslovakian-built Let L-410UVP-E3 manufactured in 1987.
- 02The wreckage was found nine kilometers south of Los Roques at a depth of 970 meters.
- 03The co-pilot's body was the only occupant recovered and identified.
- 04The search vessel that found the wreck was actually looking for another aircraft that disappeared on the same date five years later.
- 05The eight Italian passengers were Paolo Durante, Bruna Guerrieri, Sofia Durante, Emma Durante, Annalisa Montanari, Rita Calanni Rindina, Stefano Frangione, and Fabiola Napoli.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Deep Sea Search Cooperation
The discovery of the wreckage highlighted the necessity of international cooperation and specialized sonar equipment for locating aircraft lost in deep maritime environments.