Mexico

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Playa del Carmen – Chichén Itzá

MSN:

207-0261

YOM:

1974

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1506

Captain / Total hours on type:

37.00

Aircraft flight hours:

5090

Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Playa del Carmen, while flying at an altitude of 1,500 feet, the engine lost power and failed. The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft collided with trees and crashed in a wooded area located 18 km from its departure point. The pilot and all four passengers, a British family on vacations, were uninjured. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine failure caused by an oil leak following the failure of the 5th cylinder.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain near San Vicente: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 2017 at 1500 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

XB-OUE

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Toluca – Acapulco

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Toluca to Acapulco, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions. In limited visibility, the twin engine airplane struck hilly and wooded terrain in the Sierra de Chilpancingo, near San Vicente. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III in Tampico

Date & Time: Jun 2, 2017 at 2245 LT

Type of aircraft:

Swearingen SA227 Metro III

Operator:

Registration:

XA-UAJ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Tampico-General Francisco Javier Mina

Schedule:

Saltillo – Puebla

MSN:

AC-586

YOM:

1984

Location:

Tamaulipas

Country:

Mexico

Region:

Central America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3280

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1144

Aircraft flight hours:

35318

Aircraft flight cycles:

43028

Circumstances:

The twin engine aircraft departed Saltillo Airport on a night cargo flight to Puebla, carrying two pilots and a load of 550 kilos of various goods. En route, the crew declared an emergency and reported a low fuel condition before being cleared to divert to Tampico-General Francisco Javier Mina Airport. On final approach, both engines stopped and the aircraft descended into trees and crashed in a wooded area located 850 metres short of runway 31. Both pilots were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Emergency landing due to an inadequate pre-flight of the aircraft which resulted in the loss of power of both engines during the cruise flight due to exhaustion of fuel on board.
Contributing factors:
- Lack of adherence to flight planning procedures.
- Lack of coordination between captain and operations officer during pre-flight preparation.
- Lack of supervision of dispatcher activities.

Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 25B in Toluca: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 2017 at 1525 LT

Type of aircraft:

Learjet 25

Operator:

Registration:

XA-VMC

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Piper PA-46 (Malibu/Meridian/Mirage/Matrix/M-Class)

Schedule:

Toluca - Durango

MSN:

25-114

YOM:

1973

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

14654

Aircraft flight cycles:

13449

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on runway 15 at Toluca-Licendiado Adolfo López Mateos, after the airplane passed the V1 speed, the warning light came on in the cockpit panel, informing the crew about the deployment of the reverse on the left engine. According to published procedures, the crew continued the takeoff and shortly after rotation, during initiale climb, the aircraft rolled to the left and crashed in an open field, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 200 metres past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

Probable Cause:
Loss of control of the aircraft during the emergency procedure of indication of the deployment of the reverse of the engine number one during the takeoff roll above V1, which was consistent with the training and standard operating procedures that call to continue the takeoff, causing the collapse of the aircraft, by low speed and the operation of abrupt maneuvers and turns towards the engine side in idle position and commanded opening of the Drag Shut due to poor CRM.
Contributing factors:
- False indication of reverse display of dwelling position number one.
- Failure of pilots of previous flights not to refer failures to indicate the deployment of reverses for maintenance actions.

Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-46-310P Malibu in Chichén Itzá

Date & Time: Feb 15, 2017 at 2000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N116TH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain

Schedule:

Monterrey – Cancún

MSN:

46-8608005

YOM:

1986

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While overflying the Yucatán Province, en route from Monterrey to Cancún, the pilot informed ATC that he was low of fuel and requested the permission to divert to Chichén Itzá Airport for an emergency landing. While approaching the airfield by night, the single engine aircraft descended into trees and crashed few km from the airport. The airplane was destroyed and there was no fire. All five occupants were injured.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in El Sacrificio

Date & Time: Nov 29, 2016

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N633D

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 twin engine airplane was involved in a smuggling flight within Mexico and was carrying three people. In unclear circumstances, the pilot attempted a belly landing in a swampy area located in El Sacrificio, State of Campeche. The wreckage was found by local authorities few hours later and no trace of the occupant was found or the load was found. The registration N633D is attributed to a Piper PA-31 with MSN 31-7852098 which was not involved in this accident. Thus, it was confirmed by Mexican and US Authorities that the registration was false.

Crash of a Dornier DO328Jet-310 in Toluca

Date & Time: Oct 24, 2016 at 2029 LT

Type of aircraft:

Dornier DO328Jet

Operator:

Registration:

XA-ALA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Positioning

Survivors:

Site:

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

Schedule:

Chetumal - Toluca

MSN:

3167

YOM:

2000

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

14140

Captain / Total hours on type:

1699.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

3623

Copilot / Total hours on type:

Aircraft flight hours:

13058

Aircraft flight cycles:

13493

Circumstances:

Following an uneventful positioning flight by night from Chetumal, the crew was cleared to land on runway 33 at Toluca Airport. Upon touchdown, the airplane went out of control and veered off runway to the right. While contacting soft grounf, the airplane lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a grassy area. All four occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Loss of control upon landing due to the exhaust gases of the three turbofan engines and wake turbulences from an heavy category aircraft, causing a runway excursion, and an additional presence of crosswind, resulting in the aircraft rolling over uneven terrain of the safety strip resulting in severe damage.
Contributing factors:
- Safety strip in poor condition,
- Failure to attach times and separation distance between an aircraft taking off and landing on the same runway, to avoid the formation of wake turbulence and the presence of the exhaust gases of turbofan engines.

Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Apr 1, 2016 at 0917 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

XA-ULU

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Tayoltita - Durango

MSN:

208B-2104

YOM:

2009

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

7443

Aircraft flight hours:

4027

Aircraft flight cycles:

3479

Circumstances:

The single engine airplane departed Tayoltita Airfield around 0900LT on a charter flight to Durango, carrying nine passengers and one pilot. Twelve minutes into the flight, the pilot encountered engine problems and declared an emergency. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, he attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in the bed of the Piaxtla River. The wreckage was found about 16 km northeast of Tayoltita Airfield (N 24° 11' 2.65" W 105° 47' 12.57''). The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and there was no fire. Three passengers were killed and seven other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a loss of control following the failure of a turbine compressor disc blade. It was reported that unauthorized repairs had been made on the engine without the approval of the engine manufacturer.

Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 75A in Santiago de Querétaro

Date & Time: Jan 30, 2016 at 0738 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell Sabreliner 75

Operator:

Registration:

N380CF

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Illegal (smuggling)

Survivors:

Site: