Mexico | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft was completing a charter flight from Kingston, Jamaica, to Houston, Texas, with an intermediate stop in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, carrying six passengers and a crew of six. The approach to Cozumel Airport was initiated at dusk and under VFR mode when, on short final, the aircraft struck approach lights and crashed 503 meters short of runway 29 threshold. A pilot was killed while the second one was seriously injured. All six passengers escaped with minor injuries.

Probable cause:

Impact with the ground during the approach at dusk (evening twilight) with wrong altimeter setting on the second officer's instruments, during an operation completed under VFR mode.

Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild F27 in Tuxtla Gutiérrez: 24 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 1990 at 0855 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild F27

Operator:

Registration:

F-GHXA

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tapachula – Tuxtla Gutierrez

MSN:

101

YOM:

1963

Flight number:

6A100

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3755

Captain / Total hours on type:

122.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

754

Copilot / Total hours on type:

126

Aircraft flight hours:

18147

Circumstances:

On final approach to Tuxtla Gutiérrez Airport runway 35, while the aircraft was fully configured for landing, the crew decided to initiate a go-around procedure for unknown reasons and completed a left turn in an attempt to make a 180 circuit. The aircraft lost height, struck trees and crashed 3,200 meters short of runway threshold, bursting into flames. All four crew members and 20 passengers were killed while 16 other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

The loss of control on final approach was the consequence of a loss of lift after the crew failed to maintain a minimum speed while initiating a go-around procedure. At this time, the aircraft was fully configured for landing with flaps and landing gear down.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Lack of crew coordination,
- Lack of crew experience on this type of aircraft.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Turbo Commander 680 in San Ignacio: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Turbo Commander 680/681

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Pax on board:

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Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was engaged in an illegal contraband flight, carrying four people and a load of 670 kilos of cocaine. After takeoff from a private strip in San Ignacio, the aircraft was shot down by the Mexican Police and crashed. Two occupants were seriously injured and two others were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by the Mexican Police.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Tepic: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

Crashed on the Mt Sangangüey located 11 km east of Tepic Airport. The wreckage was found two days later. All five crew members were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 402 off Manzanillo: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1989 at 2022 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 402

Operator:

Registration:

XB-EJJ

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Government

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Manzanillo – Mexico City

Location:

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Circumstances:

Five minutes after takeoff from Manzanillo Airport, while climbing by night, the twin engine aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea few hundred meters offshore. The wreckage sank by a depth of 80 meters and all seven occupants were killed, among them five police officers who were returning to Mexico City. The flight was completed on behalf of the Attorney General of the Republic.

Crash of a Convair CV-440 Metropolitan near Toluca

Date & Time: Nov 30, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Convair CV-440 Metropolitan

Operator:

Correos de Mexico

Registration:

XA-NAU

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

411

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

An engine failed en route, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in an open field near Toluca and was damaged beyond repair. Both occupants escaped uninjured. The exact date of the mishap remains unknown, somewhere in November 1989.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 75A in Saltillo

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Sabreliner 75

Operator:

Registration:

TP-101

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Mexico City - Saltillo

MSN:

380-67

YOM:

1978

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

After touchdown at Saltillo-Plan de Guadalupe Airport, the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. It struck obstacles, lost its undercarriage and came to rest few dozen meters further. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It had the dual registration TP-101 and XC-UJC.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 on Mt Punta Bojórquez: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 30, 1989 at 1104 LT

Type of aircraft:

IAI Arava 201

Operator:

Registration:

2002

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Badiraguato – Cuatro Ciénegas

MSN:

007

YOM:

1974

Location:

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Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Punta Bojórquez while on a supply mission from Badiraguato to Cuatro Ciénegas. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo in Doctor Arroyo

Date & Time: May 18, 1989 at 1340 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-5 Buffalo

Operator:

Registration:

TP-200

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Doctor Arroyo – Francisco Sarabia

MSN:

YOM:

1980

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff, while climbing to a height of 20 meters, the aircraft stalled and crashed. All 30 occupants were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. It had the dual registration TP-200 and XC-UTO.

Crash of a Britten-Norman BN-2A Trislander III-2 in Playa del Carmen: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1989 at 1430 LT

Type of aircraft:

Britten-Norman Trislander

Operator:

Registration:

XA-JPE

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Chichén Itzá – Cozumel

MSN:

1051

YOM:

1977

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Chichén Itzá to Cozumel, the crew encountered engine problems and was cleared to divert to Playa del Carmen for an emergency landing. On final, the aircraft lost height and crashed 3 km short of runway. Six passengers were killed while 13 other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine problems for unknown reasons.