| Date: | Friday 10 April 2015 |
| Time: | 18:45 |
| Type: |  Gulfstream G-IV |
| Owner/operator: | La Venezolana de Seguros y Vida |
| Registration: | N450KK |
| MSN: | 1225 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1993 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7473 hours |
| Engine model: | Rolls-Royce Tay 611 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | over Caribbean Sea -
 Atlantic Ocean
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport (CCS/SVMI) |
| Fort Lauderdale-Executive Airport, FL (FXE/KFXE) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A Gulfstream G-IV, N450KK, was substantially damaged during a cabin over-pressurization event over the Caribbean Sea while en route to Fort Lauderdale-Executive Airport, Florida (FXE). The pilots were not injured. The airplane was operated by a private company. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Caracas-Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela about 16:30.
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to fly the airplane to FXE for scheduled maintenance. About 2 hours and 15 minutes after departure, at flight level 430, the crew observed a red warning light indicating a maximum cabin differential pressure of 9.8 psi, followed by a red "DOOR MAIN" indication. The pilots donned oxygen masks and referenced the airplane's quick reference handbook. A loud "bam" sound was then heard in the cabin and the crew initiated an immediate descent. The cabin pressure outflow valve was opened manually and the airplane was leveled at 12,000 feet above mean sea level. The flight continued to FXE unpressurized and landed without further incident. After landing, the crew performed a walk-around inspection and found no obvious anomalies with the airplane.
A subsequent inspection of the airplane by maintenance and engineering personnel revealed structural airframe damage, including a cracked floor beam, dimpled areas in the floor boards, damaged structure between ribs, and damaged wing links. An initial examination of the fuselage revealed that the outflow valve safety port, located on the outer fuselage, was completely plugged with a foreign material resembling dried dirt from a mud dauber.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The in-flight failure of the cabin pressurization relief/safety valve (CPRV) due to an obstruction of the CPRV static port, which allowed the airplane to overpressurize. The reason for the initial overpressurization condition could not be determined."
Sources:
NTSB
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