Chiapas | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Following an uneventful flight from Tuxtla Gutiérrez-Francisco Sarabia Airport, the crew initiated the descent to Palenque Airport in limited visibility. On approach, the twin engine airplane impacted the slope of a wooded terrain located in the Cerro Norte about 12 km southwest of the destination airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all occupants were killed, among them Juan Pablo Montes de Oca, Federal Deputy who was flying to Palenque with his family.
Crew:
Roberto Villanueva Valdez, pilot,
Carlos Alberto Culebro Esquinca, copilot.
Passengers:
Juan Pablo Montes de Oca,
Sofía Montes de Oca, Juan Pablo's daughter,
Pablo Montes de Oca, Juan Pablo's son,
Guillermina Rincón Cruz, Juan Pablo's wife,
Rosalía, Juan Pablo's sister,
Daniela, Juan Pablo's nephew,
Eduardo, juan Pablo's nephew.

Crash of a Cessna 340 near Tapachula

Date & Time: Aug 9, 2023

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 340

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane (registration unknown) entered the Mexican airspace without authorization and attempted to land on an remote airstrip located about 40 km west of Tapachula. Following a belly landing on a grassy runway, the airplane veered to the left and collided with palm trees. No one was found on site but Police found a load of about 462 kg of cocaine.

Crash of a Cessna 401 in Tapachula: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 19, 2021 at 0716 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Registration:

XB-RQE

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tapachula – Tapachula

MSN:

401-0268

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1647

Captain / Total hours on type:

1397.00

Aircraft flight hours:

5237

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Tapachula Airport on a local flight to release Mediterranean flies. A flight plan of four hours was filed, with an altitude of 9,500 feet. The flies should be released in an area corresponding to 60 - 100 NM around the Tapachula VOR. Shortly after takeoff from Tapachula Airport Runway 05, while climbing to an altitude of 1,000 feet, the pilot reported engine problems. The aircraft turned to the right then entered an uncontrolled descent until it crashed in a mango plantation. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Impact of the aircraft against the ground during a tight turn towards the side of the right engine, which showed inadequate performance.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Continuing the flight despite intermittent failures in the fuel flow of engine number 2,
- Failure to adhere to the abnormal engine failure procedure during takeoff,
- Fatigue fracture of the fuel pump shaft of engine number 2.

Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 401 in Comitán de Domínguez

Date & Time: Jan 19, 2021 at 0840 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 401

Operator:

Registration:

XB-NQO

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tapachula - Tapachula

MSN:

401-0294

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The pilot, sole on board, departed Tapachula Airport in the early morning. In unknown circumstances, the twin engine aircraft crashed in a prairie located near an agricultural sector in Comitán de Domínguez. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was injured.

Crash of a Dassault Falcon 200 in Palenque

Date & Time: Aug 29, 2020 at 2100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dassault Falcon 20

Operator:

Registration:

XB-OAP

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

MSN:

504

YOM:

1986

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

In unknown circumstances, the crew made a belly landing near Palenque Airport. By night, the aircraft crash landed in an open field and came to rest. The occupant(s) was/were not found but law enforcement officials found 3 tons of cocaine on board. The aircraft seems to be written off.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan near Tuzantán: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 2018 at 0900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded and hilly terrain located near Tuzantán. The airplane was totally destroyed by a post crash fire and all three occupants were killed. According to Mexican Authorities, the crew was completing an illegal flight.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-325 Navajo C/R in Tuxtla Gutierrez: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 2013 at 1334 LT

Type of aircraft:

Piper PA-31-310 Navajo

Operator:

Habilitaciones Turisticas SA - HATUSA

Registration:

XB-EZY

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Tuxtla Gutierrez – Puebla

MSN:

31-8212007

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

At 1339LT, the crew was cleared for takeoff from runway 32 at Tuxtla Gutierrez-Angel Albino Corzo Airport. During initial climb, after being cleared to climb to 12,500 feet, the crew informed ATC he was returning to the airport. Shortly later, the aircraft lost height and crashed in a field, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 8 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

One of the engine failed after takeoff due to a fuel pump malfunction. The crew elected to return but the aircraft stalled due to an insufficient speed. Poor engine maintenance was considered as a contributing factor as well as the fact that the crew initiated the flight while the aircraft's weight was above the allowable MTOW.

Final Report:

Crash of a BAe 3201 Jetstream 32EP near Chulum Juárez: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 2000 at 1950 LT

Type of aircraft:

BAe Jetstream 31

Operator:

Registration:

N912FJ

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Tuxtla Gutiérrez – Villahermosa – Veracruz – Mérida

MSN:

912

YOM:

1990

Flight number:

QA7831

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5300

Captain / Total hours on type:

1100.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

667

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

12041

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed Tuxtla Gutiérrez Airport on a regular schedule flight to Mérida with intermediate stops in Villahermosa and Veracruz, carrying 17 passengers and two pilots. En route to Villahermosa-Carlos Rovirosa Pérez Airport, at an altitude of 16,000 feet and about 50 miles from the destination, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and deviated from the V3 Airway to the right for about 24 km. After he initiated the descent, the crew was instructed by ATC to report 25 DME. Shortly later, while descending in clouds, the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Chulum Juárez, about 80 km southeast of Villahermosa Airport. The wreckage was found at an altitude of 1,890 metres. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 19 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain. Combining instrument flight (IFR), with visual flight (VFR), the crew lost situational awareness, deviating 29.8 miles to the right of the Victor 3 airway due to bad weather, when the weather conditions imposed the application of the instrument flight rules (IFR), causing collision of the aircraft with the mountain at 6200 feet of elevation without loss of control (CFIT).
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Severe weather conditions en route,
- Persistence of the pilot in command, to continue the instrument flight (IFR) on visual flight (VFR),
- Inconsistency in cockpit resource management (CRM),
- Loss of situational awareness of the flight crew and the controllers, due to numerous deviations from the route, due to severe weather conditions and poor communication between the parties.
- inadequate preparation of the flight plan, since in view of the very probable need to circumnavigate severe meteorological conditions, the flight altitudes that would continue outside of the controlled airspace (outside the v-3 airway) were not verified.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell 500S Shrike Commander near San Cristóbal de Las Casas: 5 killed

Date & Time: Mar 18, 1999 at 0930 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Shrike Commander 500

Operator:

Registration:

ETL-1251

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

MSN:

500-3211

YOM:

1974

Location:

San Cristóbal de Las Casas

Chiapas

Country:

Mexico

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Terán AFB in Tuxtla Gutiérrez at 0915LT on a liaison flight, carrying three passengers and two pilots. About 15 minutes later, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Tzontehuitz located about 12 km northeast of San Cristóbal de Las Casas. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of an IAI Arava 201 near Escuintla

Date & Time: Sep 16, 1998

Type of aircraft:

IAI Arava 201

Operator:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was completing a special flight to a remote area in the coast of Chiapas, carrying three crew members and a load of essential products. After landing along the motorway Tonolá - Tapachula, the right wing collided with an obstacle. The aircraft cartwheeled and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. The accident occurred at km 147.

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