Country
code

Federal District of Mexico City

Crash of a Boeing 737-322 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Nov 26, 2015 at 1828 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-UNM
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cancún – Mexico City
MSN:
24248/1636
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
GMT779
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
139
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
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 45 in Mexico City: 16 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 2008 at 1846 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XC-VMC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
San Luis Potosí – Mexico City
MSN:
45-028
YOM:
1999
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Captain / Total flying hours:
4000
Captain / Total hours on type:
180.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
11809
Copilot / Total hours on type:
57
Aircraft flight hours:
2486
Aircraft flight cycles:
2215
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from San Luis Potosí, the crew was cleared to the MATEO VOR and for an ILS/DME approach to runway 05R at Mexico-Benito Juarez Intl Airport, then was instructed by ATC to increase their speed to 220 knots. The Learjet was trailing a Boeing 767-300 (Mexicana Flight 1692 from Buenos Aires), which was instructed to decrease speed to 160 knots to maintain separation with a preceding Airbus A318. At 18:41 a further instruction was given to slow down to an indicated airspeed of 150 knots. At 18:42 the Boeing 767 crossed MATEO VOR at a ground speed of 224 knots. The Learjet was following at 8 nautical miles (NM) at a ground speed of 272 knots. At 18:44 the controller instructed Mexicana Flight 1692 to slow down to the minimum approach speed. At that time, the Learjet 45 was crossing the MATEO VOR with a ground speed of 262 knots, approximately 5.7 NM behind. The controller then instructed the Learjet crew to reduce their airspeed to 180 knots. This was acknowledged but it took 16 seconds for the crew to take action. Separation between the Boeing 767 and Learjet had decreased to 3.8 NM and the Learjet entered the wake turbulence of the 767. Control was lost and the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent, crashing on the Monte Pelvoux and Ferrocarril de Cuernavaca Avenues. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 9 occupants were killed as well as 7 people on the ground. Some buildings were damaged, about 20 cars were destroyed and 40 people on the ground were injured, some seriously. Among the passengers were:
Juan Camilo Mouriño Terrazo, Interior Minister,
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, General Attorney,
Miguel Monterrubio Cubas, Director for Social Communication.
Probable cause:
Loss of control at low altitude and subsequent impact of the aircraft with the ground after it encountered wake turbulence caused by a preceding aircraft.
The following contributing factors were identified:
- Lack of adequate crew training on Learjet 45,
- Delay of the crew to reduce the approach speed,
- Lack of Air Traffic Control to correct the excessive approach speed of the aircraft,
- Fatigue accumulated by ATC,
- Grant of flight capacity, administrative problems and probable corruption,
- Insufficient monitoring of the aircraft operator to provide maintenance and operation.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 40 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Jul 5, 2006 at 0500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-UCS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
León – Mexico City
MSN:
282-6
YOM:
1964
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a hard landing on runway 05 at Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport, the tyre on the left main gear burst. The fuel tank was punctured by debris and a fire erupted. The aircraft was stopped on the main runway and while both pilots escaped uninjured, the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-14 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Jul 21, 2004 at 1933 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-BCS
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mexico City – Durango – Torreón
MSN:
47043
YOM:
1967
Flight number:
JR706
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
52
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
96300
Aircraft flight cycles:
102000
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from runway 05L at Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport, while in initial climb, the aircraft encountered windshear. It lost height and crash landed on the runway. Upon impact, the landing gear were torn off. Out of control, the aircraft veered off runway, lost its right wing and came to rest. All 56 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control upon takeoff due to windshear.

Crash of a Rockwell Shrike Commander 500S in Jilotzingo: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 2000
Operator:
Registration:
5158
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
500-3218
YOM:
1974
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances.

Crash of a Douglas C-47B-DK in Mexico City

Date & Time: Feb 3, 2000
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mexico City - Mexico City
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport on a local post maintenance test flight. After takeoff, while in initial climb, both engines lost power simultaneously. The crew attempted an emergency landing on a soccer field when the aircraft crash landed near a motorway. Both pilots escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Learjet 24D in Mexico City

Date & Time: Nov 20, 1998
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MTX-02
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mexico City - Veracruz
MSN:
24-313
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport, at Vr, the pilot-in-command initiated the rotation but the aircraft failed to respond. For unknown reasons, the crew wait few seconds and attempted a second rotation but the aircraft still failed to respond. The captain decided to abort the takeoff and started an emergency braking procedure, deploying the tail parachute. Approaching the end of the runway, the pilot made a left turn then the aircraft veered off runway, lost its undercarriage and came to rest 150 metres further, bursting into flames. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Convair CV-240-53 in Zumpango: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1998 at 0420 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
XA-TAP
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mexico City - Monterrey - Laredo
MSN:
53-13
YOM:
1954
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
11582
Copilot / Total flying hours:
264
Copilot / Total hours on type:
26
Aircraft flight hours:
26792
Circumstances:
Six minutes after his night takeoff from Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport, en route to Monterrey and Laredo, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the right engine. The crew was cleared for an approach to runway 05R but the situation deteriorated rapidly. Shortly later, the captain requested the permission to make an approach to runway 23L and reported that the right engine caught fire. Less than a minute later, the crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in an open field located near Zumpango, about 45 km north of Mexico City Airport. Two occupants were seriously injured and two others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing by night and IMC conditions following the failure and the fire of the right engine.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1997 at 2030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-DEJ
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
47594
YOM:
1973
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
67
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The base of the empennage struck the runway surface upon landing at Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport. The aircraft was stopped on the runway and all 72 occupants evacuated safely. The aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Vickers 798D Viscount near Mexico City: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1992 at 1612 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-SCM
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Puebla - Mexico City
MSN:
392
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1839
Captain / Total hours on type:
63.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2639
Aircraft flight hours:
17213
Circumstances:
While approaching Mexico City-Benito Juarez Airport, the crew was cleared to descent from FL150 to FL120. In poor weather conditions, the crew continued the descent below FL120 when, at an altitude of 10,130 feet, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Xocotlihuipa located 30 km east of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew failed to maintain FL120 as instructed by ATC while completing an IFR approach. It was reported that the copilot was not certified to act as a pilot on this type of aircraft. Also, the experience of the captain was limited.
Final Report: