Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9 incident near Maiquetía, Outside the U.S., February 22, 2026
On February 22, 2026 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9, registered YV2923, was involved in an incident during takeoff near Maiquetía, Outside the U.S. (Simón Bolívar" International A airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. No one was hurt; 101 people were on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2026 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Maiquetía, Venezuela · Simón Bolívar" International A · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 101 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9 82 · all DC-9s on the register
- Registration
- YV2923 · no longer on the register · serial 49563
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 149,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney JT8D (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Laser Airlines
The flight
- Destination: TNCC Curacao OF
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 95 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under YV2923 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.