Mexico

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Celaya - Santiago de Querétaro

MSN:

380-51

YOM:

1977

Location:

Santiago de Querétaro

Querétaro

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

10195

Circumstances:

The aircraft, a Rockwell Sabreliner 75A (NA-265-80 version) departed Celaya-Capitán Rogelio Castillo Airport shortly before 0700LT on a short flight to Santiago de Querétaro without any flight plan and with an unknown number of people on board. At 0731LT, the crew contacted the destination airport and elected to land about seven minutes later. After landing on runway 27, the crew was instructed to vacate via taxiway for the apron but the aircraft continued, veered off runway after a distance 800 metres, impacted a rocky wall, lost its nose gear and came to rest. When the rescuers arrived on the scene, there was nobody as the occupants left the airplane and disappeared. It appears the flight was illegal and it is believed that the aircraft was stolen at Celaya Airport.

Crash of a Boeing 737-322 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Nov 26, 2015 at 1828 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing 737-300

Operator:

Registration:

XA-UNM

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mexico City-Benito Juarez

Schedule:

Cancún – Mexico City

MSN:

24248/1636

YOM:

1988

Flight number:

GMT779

Location:

Federal District of Mexico City

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

139

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12945

Copilot / Total flying hours:

7606

Aircraft flight hours:

64171

Aircraft flight cycles:

39245

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Cancún on a regular schedule flight to Mexico City, carrying 139 passengers and five crew members. The flight was uneventful. Following an unstabilized approach, the aircraft landed on runway 05L at an excessive speed. After touchdown, severe vibrations occurred when the left main gear collapsed after a course of 1,097 metres. The airplane slid for 980 metres before coming to rest. All 144 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Fracture of the shimmy damper piston and subsequent retraction of the left leg assembly of the landing gear due to vibrations caused during the landing run, which could not be damped due to wear and play existing between the dynamic parts of the links, fittings and apex joint of the shimmy damper.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Unstabilized approach,
- Inadequate service to shimmy damper and shock strut,
- Landing with a low rate of descent,
- Wear in the Apex joint due to a play between this and the lower torsion link,
- Landing with high ground speed and low descent rate.

Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 60 in Zihuatanejo

Date & Time: Nov 16, 2015 at 1622 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 60

Operator:

Registration:

XA-UQP

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Schedule:

Toluca - Zihuatanejo

MSN:

60-202

YOM:

2001

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7673

Captain / Total hours on type:

1360.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

9592

Copilot / Total hours on type:

3100

Aircraft flight hours:

3676

Circumstances:

The crew departed Toluca Airport on a positioning flight to Zihuatanejo. Following an uneventful flight, the crew was cleared for a VOR approach to runway 26. Due to the formation of clouds in the vicinity of the airport, ATC changed the clearance and instructed the crew for a VOR/DME approach to runway 08. Following an unstabilized approach, the aircraft landed on a wet runway. After touchdown, the aircraft skidded and veered off runway to the left. In a grassy area, the left main gear impacted a concrete block hosting the electrical system for the runway and was torn off. Then the aircraft slid for few dozen metres before coming to rest. Both pilots evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Runway excursion due to loss of directional control of the aircraft during the landing run on an unstabilized approach.
The following contributing factors were identified:
a) Unstabilized approach,
b) Adverse atmospheric conditions in the "W" area of the airport,
c) Change of designation of runway in use for landing,
d) Lack of adherence to standard operating procedures "SOPS",
e) Lack of adherence to the concepts of "CRM" resource management in the cockpit,
f) Decreased situational awareness on the part of the commander of the aircraft,
g) Flying the approach and descent visually, following an IFR descent within IMC conditions (Instrument Meteorological Conditions),
h) Wet track,
i) Lack of crew coordination,
j) Poor judgement and incorrect decision,
k) Existence of a concrete marker with a level of 10cms protruding above the road surface in the runway safety zone.

Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 31A in Apaseo el Alto: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 2015 at 1528 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 31

Operator:

Registration:

XB-GYB

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Toluca - Zacatecas

MSN:

31-166

YOM:

1998

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Copilot / Total flying hours:

2693

Aircraft flight hours:

3237

Aircraft flight cycles:

2368

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Toluca Airport at 1528LT on an executive flight to Zacatecas, carrying two passengers and two pilots. Four minutes later, the crew was cleared to climb to FL380 and later reported moderate but continue turbulences. Then the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and disintegrated in the air before crashing near Apaseo el Alto. Debris were found on a large area and all four occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the loss of control could not be determined.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 750 Citation X in Toluca

Date & Time: Aug 27, 2015 at 0015 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 750 Citation X

Operator:

Registration:

XA-KYE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Swearingen SA226 Metro II

MSN:

750-0204

YOM:

2002

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was apparently completing a positioning flight to Toluca Airport. Following a night landing on runway 15, the crew started the braking procedure when the aircraft deviated to the left. The crew applied full brake but the aircraft veered off runway. While contacting soft ground, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest about 2,700 metres from the runway threshold. Both pilots escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Swearingen SA226TC Metro II in Querétaro: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jun 2, 2015 at 1425 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

XA-UKP

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Test

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Santiago de Querétaro - Santiago de Querétaro

MSN:

TC-376

YOM:

1980

Location:

Santiago de Querétaro

Querétaro

Country:

Region:

Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

19172

Captain / Total hours on type:

3731.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

364

Copilot / Total hours on type:

117

Aircraft flight hours:

26985

Aircraft flight cycles:

37207

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft was engaged in a post-maintenance test flight out from Santiago de Querétaro Airport, carrying three engineers and two pilots. It departed runway 09 at 1421LT and the crew was cleared to climb to FL125. While approaching the altitude of 12,000 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed on a motorway located 11 km southwest of the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all five occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control of the aircraft in flight for undetermined reasons. No mechanical failure was found on the aircraft and its components that could affect the normal operation of the airplane.
The following findings were identified:
- Lack of coordination and effective communication between ground staff and flight crew,
- Lack of adequate supervision of operations by the operator,
- Lack of a safety culture of the operator.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I in Monterrey

Date & Time: May 21, 2015

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

XB-MTC

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Executive/Corporate/Business

Survivors:

Site:

Servicios Aéreos Corporativos

Schedule:

Monterrey – Piedras Negras

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after take off from Monterrey-Del Norte Airport, while climbing, the pilot encountered unknown technical problems and attempted an emergency landing in the Seventh Military Zone of the Secretary of the National Defense located west of the airport. The aircraft crashed in a pasture and came to rest upside down, bursting into flames. All five occupants were quickly rescued by military personal while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-12/45 in Ciudad Acuña

Date & Time: Apr 24, 2015 at 1245 LT

Type of aircraft:

Pilatus PC-12

Operator:

Registration:

XA-BLU

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

481

YOM:

2003

Location:

Ciudad Acuña-El Bonito

Coahuila

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

3508

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful flight, the pilot initiated a VFR approach to Ciudad Acuña-El Bonito Airport runway 28 in good weather conditions with 9 km visibility and an OAT of +30° C. On short final, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when the aircraft impacted ground five metres short of runway. The aircraft bounced, rolled for few dozen metres then veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a wooded area. All six occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The accident occurred after the pilot suffered a loss of situational awareness while completing a visual approach below the glide, causing the aircraft to struck the ground five metres short of runway 28 threshold.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Overconfidence on part of the pilot,
- Unstabilized approach,
- Lack of visual aids.

Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 25D in Champotón: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 2014 at 1800 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 25

Operator:

T-Air - USA

Registration:

N265TW

Flight Phase: