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Crash of a Douglas DC-9-31 in Reynosa: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 2000 at 1655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N936ML
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mexico City - Reynosa
MSN:
47501
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
AM250
Country:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
85
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
10184
Captain / Total hours on type:
701.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1764
Copilot / Total hours on type:
40
Aircraft flight hours:
74277
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Mexico City, the crew started the descent to Reynosa-General Lucio Blanco Airport and encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls issued from the tropical storm 'Keith'. Following a wrong approach configuration, the aircraft was too high on the glide and approaching at an excessive speed. It landed too far down the wet runway 31 and was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage, struck several houses, went down an embankment and came to rest in a canal. All 90 occupants were rescued, among them one passenger was slightly injured. On the ground, four people were killed.
Probable cause:
Long landing and contact, after a high approach with excessive speed as a result of a non-precision approach, on a waterlogged runway and in adverse weather conditions (discharge of CB's in the area), with the aircraft departing from the opposite runway threshold (13).
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 Douglas DC-9-32 in Cerritos: 79 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1986 at 1152 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-JED
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Mexico City – Guadalajara – Loreto – Tijuana – Los Angeles
MSN:
47356
YOM:
1969
Flight number:
AM498
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
58
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
79
Captain / Total flying hours:
10641
Captain / Total hours on type:
4632.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1463
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1245
Circumstances:
AeroMéxico flight AM498 was a scheduled passenger flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles with intermediate stops at Guadalajara, Loreto and Tijuana. The DC-9, named 'Hermosillo', departed Tijuana Airport at 11:20 and proceeded toward Los Angeles at FL100. At 11:44 Coast Approach Control cleared the flight to 7,000 feet. Just three minutes earlier Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee N4891F departed Torrance Airport, CA for a VFR flight to Big Bear, CA. On board were a pilot and two passengers. The Piper pilot turned to an easterly heading toward the Paradise VORTAC and entered the Terminal Control Area (TCA) without receiving clearance from ATC as required by FAR Part 91.90. At 11:47 the AeroMéxico pilot contacted LA Approach Control and reported level at 7,000 feet. The approach controller cleared flight 498 to depart Seal Beach on a heading of 320 degrees for the ILS runway "two five left final approach course...". At 11:51:04, the approach controller asked the flight to reduce its airspeed to 190 KIAS and cleared it to descend to 6,000 feet. At about 11:52:09, flight 498 and the Piper collided over Cerritos at an altitude of about 6,560 feet. The Piper struck the left hand side of the DC-9's horizontal and vertical stabilizer. The horizontal stabilizer sliced through the Piper's cabin following which it separated from the tailplane. Both planes tumbled down out of control. The wreckage and post impact fires destroyed five houses and damaged seven others. Fifteen persons on the ground were killed. The sky was clear, the reported visibility was 14 miles.
Probable cause:
The limitations of the ATC system to provide collision protection, through both ATC procedures and automated redundancy. Factors contributing to the accident were:
- The inadvertent and unauthorized entry of the PA-28 into the Los Angeles Terminal Control Area and
- The limitations of the 'see and avoid' concept to ensure traffic separation under the conditions of the conflict.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 near Zihuatanejo: 18 killed

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-DEO
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Acapulco - Guadalajara
MSN:
47622/753
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
AM110
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
Thirty-five minutes after takeoff from Acapulco-General Juan N. Álvarez Airport, while cruising at an altitude of 31,000 feet, the aircraft suffered a cabin decompression. The crew declared an emergency and was cleared to reduce his altitude and to return to Acapulco for an emergency landing. Few minutes later, at an altitude of 6,000 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and crashed in the Sierra of Guerro, about 65 km east of Zihuatanejo. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 18 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the cabin decompression remains unknown while the crew failed to follow emergency procedures.

Crash of a Douglas DC-9-32 in Chihuahua: 32 killed

Date & Time: Jul 27, 1981 at 1628 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-DEN
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Monterrey – Chihuahua – Hermosillo – Tijuana
MSN:
47621
YOM:
1974
Flight number:
AM230
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
On approach to Chihuahua-General Roberto Fierro Villalobos Airport, the crew encountered bad weather conditions with heavy rain falls, thunderstorms and strong winds. On short final, just prior to flare, the airplane was caught by downdrafts and struck the runway surface. It bounced then veered off runway to the right. The airplane rolled for few dozen meters then came to rest in flames, broken in two. 34 occupants were injured while 32 others were killed, among them two crew members. At the time of the accident, there was thunderstorms in the approach path with heavy rain falls and wind gusting to 54 knots.
Probable cause:
Loss of control just prior to flare after being caught by downdrafts and turbulences.