Zone
Yucatán

Crash of a Convair CV-240 in Mérida: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Convair CV-240
Operator:
Registration:
XA-HUL
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
229
YOM:
1952
Location:
Mérida
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
17
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while taking off from Mérida-Rejon Airport. A passenger was killed while all 19 other occupants were rescued.

Crash of an Avro 748-230-2A near Chetumal: 23 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1972 at 1535 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 748
Operator:
Registration:
XA-SEV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chetumal - Mérida - Mexico City
MSN:
1598
YOM:
1966
Location:
Chetumal
Quintana Roo
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Chetumal Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a swampy area located about 40 km northwest of Chetumal. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 23 occupants survived the crash. It is believed that an explosion whose origin remains unknown occurred on board.

Crash of a Vickers 749 Viscount near Mérida: 13 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1971 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Vickers Viscount
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-AMV
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mérida – Caracas
MSN:
94
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
LV359
Location:
Mérida
Mérida
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
43
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Seven minutes after its takeoff from Mérida-Alberto Carnevalli Airport, while climbing, the airplane struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located on Mt Paramo Los Conejos, about 17 km north of the airfield. 13 occupants were killed, among them a crew member, while 34 other occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas DC-6 in Mérida

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
XA-LAU
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mexico City – Mérida
MSN:
43059/96
YOM:
1948
Location:
Mérida
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Mérida-Licenciado Manuel Crecencio Rejon Airport, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed few dozen yards short of runway threshold. All 29 occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Due to poor crew coordination during the final approach, they failed to follow the approach checklist and one of the pilot inadvertently set up the reverse thrust system. Due to low speed, the airplane stalled and crashed. The distance between the aircraft and the ground was insufficient to expect recovery.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3-313A in Mérida

Date & Time: Aug 17, 1966 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Lauderdale Leasing Company
Registration:
N28343
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
2267
YOM:
1940
Location:
Mérida
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2012
Captain / Total hours on type:
164.00
Circumstances:
While on a corp/executive flight, the crew informed ATC about a double engine failure and was vectored to Mérida Airport. On approach, the airplane stalled, struck tree tops and crashed few km short of runway threshold. Both pilots were injured and the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure for undetermined reason.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46D-15-CU Commando near Mérida: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1959 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Operator:
Registration:
YV-C-LBI
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Mérida – Lagunillas – Maracaibo
MSN:
33411
YOM:
1945
Location:
Mérida
Mérida
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Mérida-Alberto Carnevalli Airport at 1505LT on a charter flight to Maracaibo with an intermediate stop at Lagunillas. After takeoff, while approaching El Callejon Pass at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the crew realized it would not be possible to clear the pass and decided to modify his route. Vertical to Ejido, the captain made a 180 turn, modified his heading to 030° and continued to the northeast. Few minutes later, while cruising in clouds at an altitude of 13,500 feet, the airplane struck the slope of La Culata Peak and was destroyed upon impact. The wreckage was found few hours later and all four occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to flying the aircraft at insufficient altitude over an area apparently unfamiliar to the pilot.

Crash of a Fairchild C-82A-FA Packet in Mérida: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1957
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-82 Packet
Operator:
Registration:
XA-LIW
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mérida - Mérida
Location:
Mérida
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a local test flight when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances shortly after takeoff from Mérida-Rejon Airport. The wreckage was found five km from the airfield and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Consolidated B-24J Liberator in Mérida: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1957 at 0753 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Operator:
Registration:
XA-KUN
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Mérida – Mexico City
Location:
Mérida
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 10, while climbing to an altitude of 300 feet, the pilot made a turn to the left heading 65° then continued climbing for about 400 to 600 feet when control was lost. The airplane stalled and crashed in a huge explosion in the Calle 54 Sur Street, about two km north of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all three occupants were killed, among them the Mexican Actor and Singer Pedro Infante who was acting pilot on this flight. A kid on the ground was also killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was due to a maneuvering error which consisted in making two turns onto the Mexico City heading without conforming the distance and procedure specifications and below the prescribed altitudes and speeds. This error was aggravated by a probable shifting of the load due to improper securing.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Mérida: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1953
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
XA-GIO
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Campeche – Mérida
MSN:
13113
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mérida
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On approach to Mérida-Rejon Airport, the crew encountered foggy conditions. While flying too low, the airplane hit a steel tower, lost a wing and crashed in a wooded area. A pilot was killed while the second one was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Too low approach in foggy conditions.

Crash of a Avro 652 Anson in Hoctún: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 15, 1952 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Avro 652 Anson
Operator:
Registration:
XA-FEY
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Chetumal – Médida
Location:
Hoctún
Yucatán
Country:
Mexico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew started the descent to Mérida when the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a field located in Hoctún, about 45 km east of the Mérida Airport. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and all ten occupants were killed.
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