Mexico

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    Mexico Learjet Crash Update: Another Death


    A fifteenth victim of the Lear jet crash in Mexico has died. The 44-year-old woman died Tuesday; she had been hospitalized since the crash on November 4th.

    The NTSB has concluded that wake turbulence was the problem that downed the jet. Air traffic controllers told the Learjet pilots to slow down significantly so as to not gain ground on the 767, but they flew into wake 4 miles behind the jet. This action has been interpreted as pilot error. Additionally, the contract pilots may not have been qualified on the jet as deficiencies in their certifications were uncovered.

    The Learjet departed San Luis Potosí (SLP) at 18:04 on a flight to Mexico City (MEX). On board were a.o. Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication.

    The flight was uneventful and the Learjet passed LUCIA VOR at 18:40 and ATIZAPAN VOR at 18:42. It passed SAN MATEO VOR at 18:44, at an altitude of 11000 feet and an airspeed of 262 kts. It was trailing a Boeing 767-300 (Mexicana Flight 1692 from Buenos Aires). At 18:45 hours the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. At 18:46 the flight was observed approaching runway 05L. The last radar position of the aircraft was 7.5 miles from the Mexico VOR on the 256 radial, at an altitude of 9700 feet at 185 kts airspeed.
    The airplane crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

    What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government en route from San Luis Potosí Airport (SLP/MMSP) to Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport
    Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
    When: 04 NOV 2008
    Who: Passengers included:

    • Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
    • José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
    • Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
    • Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
    • Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
    • Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
    • Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
    • Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.

    Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency, the pilot acknowledged but never contacted the Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

    Voice Data Recorder Excerpts
    Pilot: That one’s got some turbulence.
    Co-pilot: Hey man.
    Pilot: Hey [expletive].
    Pilot: Alvaro, what do we do, Alvaro?
    Co-pilot: Hand it over to me, hand it over to me, hand it over to me.
    Pilot: It’s yours Alvaro.
    Pilot: [expletive]
    Pilot: No, Alvaro.
    Co-pilot: Diosito.


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    Mexican Learjet Crash Update



    The NTSB has concluded that wake turbulence was the problem that downed the jet. Air traffic controllers told the Learjet pilots to slow down significantly so as to not gain ground on the 767, but they flew into wake 4 miles behind the jet. This action has been interpreted as pilot error. Additionally, the contract pilots may not have been qualified on the jet as deficiencies in their certifications were uncovered.

    The Learjet departed San Luis Potosí (SLP) at 18:04 on a flight to Mexico City (MEX). On board were a.o. Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication.

    The flight was uneventful and the Learjet passed LUCIA VOR at 18:40 and ATIZAPAN VOR at 18:42. It passed SAN MATEO VOR at 18:44, at an altitude of 11000 feet and an airspeed of 262 kts. It was trailing a Boeing 767-300 (Mexicana Flight 1692 from Buenos Aires). At 18:45 hours the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. At 18:46 the flight was observed approaching runway 05L. The last radar position of the aircraft was 7.5 miles from the Mexico VOR on the 256 radial, at an altitude of 9700 feet at 185 kts airspeed.
    The airplane crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

    What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government en route from San Luis Potosí Airport (SLP/MMSP) to Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport
    Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
    When: 04 NOV 2008
    Who: Passengers included:

    • Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
    • José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
    • Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
    • Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
    • Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
    • Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
    • Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
    • Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.

    Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency, the pilot acknowledged but never contacted the Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

    Voice Data Recorder Excerpts
    Pilot: That one’s got some turbulence.
    Co-pilot: Hey man.
    Pilot: Hey [expletive].
    Pilot: Alvaro, what do we do, Alvaro?
    Co-pilot: Hand it over to me, hand it over to me, hand it over to me.
    Pilot: It’s yours Alvaro.
    Pilot: [expletive]
    Pilot: No, Alvaro.
    Co-pilot: Diosito.

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    The Question of Foul Play

    The big question: was there foul play involved in the crash of the Mexican governmental airplane that resulted in the death of José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, Miguel Monterrubio, Arcadio Echeverría, Norma Díaz, Álvaro Sánchez, Gisel Carrillo, and several people in the vicinity of Paseo de la Reforma?

    The Mexican government is at war against the drug cartels and apparently the drug cartels had put a price on the head of Vasconcelos. The problem of figuring out the truth is exacerbated by the citizenry’s distrust; the Mexican government is not exactly known for disclosure. In fact, if the facts prove this was indeed an accident, how will people ever be convinced of it? Because no sign of any explosives were found in the wreckage; and the presumed cause of the crash is that the Lear Jet was adversely affected by turbulence from a large Boeing jet in front of it.

    What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government
    Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
    When: 04 NOV 2008
    Who:Passengers included:

    • Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
    • José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
    • Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
    • Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
    • Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
    • Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
    • Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
    • Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.

    Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

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    Mexico City Fatal Crash Update


    See the original at Aviation Safety net
    Contact photographer Harro Ranter

    Update:Thursday investigators found the “black box” voice recorder; the data recorder with navigation information was recovered on Wednesday. The boxes will be examined in the US. Rumors abound that the crash was not an accident.
    Information released (In Spanish):

    What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government
    Where: Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
    When: 04 NOV 2008
    Who:Passengers included:

    • Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mouriño, top aide to President Felipe Calderón.
    • José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos-former assistant attorney general and current head of the federal technical secretariat for implementing the recent constitutional reforms on criminal justice and public security.
    • Miguel Monterrubio, director general of social communications with the Interior Secretariat.
    • Arcadio Echeverría, coordinator of special events, office of the Interior Secretary.
    • Norma Díaz, director in the communications department of the Interior Secretariat.
    • Julio César Ramírez Dávalos, pilot.
    • Álvaro Sánchez, co-pilot.
    • Gisel Carrillo, stewardess.

    Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

    United States investigators have been called in to help quell the rumors that the flight was sabotaged by drug cartels. Two investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration began working at the crash site on Tuesday night and the NTSB sent a team to investigate. Due to a history of government cover-ups, Mexicans don’t believe the Mexican government will tell the truth about the cause of the crash.

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    Update on Learjet Crash


    Click to view full size phot
    Contact photographer Enrique C. Rivera

    What: Learjet 45 flown by the Mexican government
    Where: Mexico City
    When: 04 NOV 2008
    Who: Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication.
    Why: At 18:45, although the aircraft was instructed to switch to the Tower frequency which the pilot acknowledged but never contacter Mexico Tower. The Learjet then crashed on the Avenida Reforma and caught fire. Several cars were destroyed and at least five people on the ground were killed.

    United States investigators have been called in to help quell the rumors that the flight was sabotaged by drug cartels. Two investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration began working at the crash site on Tuesday night and the NTSB sent a team to investigate. Due to a history of government cover-ups, Mexicans don’t believe the Mexican government will tell the truth about the cause of the crash.

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    Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino Killed in Lear Crash


    What: Lear jet en route from the north-returning from an event in the city of San Luis Potosi, central city of San Luis Potosi to Mexico City
    Where: in the street street in an upscale business district in Mexico City
    When: Tuesday Nov 4 during rush hour
    Who: Eight people killed , including Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, former Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication. Forty people on the ground were injured.
    Why: The vice president of the national civil aviation rescue committee is quoted as saying, “It could have been anything, from mechanical failure to sabotage.” It appeared that something happened to the plane in the air before the plane nosedived straight into the ground and set two dozen cars on fire in the posh Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood.

    Eight are confirmed dead. 40 have been hospitalized. 1800 locals were evacuated. Sabotage has not been ruled out, because Jose Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, the deputy attorney general was a key player for years in Mexico’s army-led war on drug cartels. Mourino was 37, married with three children, and a rising star in Mexican politics.

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    Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino Killed in Lear Crash


    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer John R. Beckman

    What: Lear jet en route from the north-central city of San Luis Potosi to Mexico City
    Where: in the street street in an upscale business district in Mexico City
    When: Tuesday Nov 4 during rush hour
    Who: Eight people killed , including Mexican Interior Minister Juan Camilo Mourino, former Deputy Attorney General Josi Luis Santiago Vasconcelos and Miguel Monterubio Cubas, the director of social communication. Forty people on the ground were injured.
    Why: The vice president of the national civil aviation rescue committee is quoted as saying, “It could have been anything, from mechanical failure to sabotage.” It appeared that something happened to the plane in the air before the plane nosedived straight into the ground.

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    Hidalgo Mountain Crash

    What: twin-engine Cessna 402C owned by the state government en route from Monterrey to La Paz airport in Baja California Sur.
    Where: in the Sierra de Hidalgo mountains
    When: 10 minutes after taking off from an airport in the city of Monterrey
    Who: Victims include Baja California Sur state Finance Secretary Nabor Garcia Aguirre, the pilot and the copilot.
    Why: The plane was flying on instruments because of poor visibility and heavy cloud cover in the area

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    Mexico: Cessna Crashes Ciudad Victoria


    Pictured: a Cessna 310 over Mexico
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact Photographer Carlos Cané

    What: Cessna 310 en route from Mendez Airport, Ciudad Victoria, to Nuevo Laredo, Teamaulipas, Mexico
    Where: Mexico
    When: October 21, 2008 1710 central daylight time
    Who: The pilot and the 4 passenger
    Why: The Cessna experienced a loss of power on takeoff from Pedro J. Mendez Airport, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. When the pilot attempted to return to the airport, the Cessna impacted level desert terrain 45 degrees off to the right of the side of the departure end of the runway.

    The pilot and the 4 passengers were fatally injured.

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    Cessna Crash in Ojinaga, Mexico

    What: Cessna 421B, N7560Q en route from El Paso International Airport to Presidio, Texas
    Operator: Volare Air Charter
    Where: 28 miles northwest of Ojinaga, Mexico
    When: September 15, 2008, approximately 1318 central daylight time
    Who: The dead included the leaders of the U.S. and Mexican sections of the IBWC, Carlos Marin of El Paso and Arturo Herreraof Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Also on board was Jake Brisbin Jr., executive director of the Rio Grande Council of Governments. The chartered Cessna 421 was piloted by Matthew Peter Juneau.

    NTSB Report:

    DFW08RA232
    On September 15, 2008, approximately 1318 central daylight time, a United States registered Cessna 421B, N7560Q, was substantially damaged after it collided with mountainous terrain approximately 28 miles northwest of Ojinaga, Mexico, near the border town of Presidio, Texas. The air transport rated pilot and the three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to EAC Parts LLC, Springfield, Ohio, and operated by Volare Air Charter, El Paso, Texas. The pilot contacted the Fort Worth Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), Fort Worth, Texas, at 1016, approximately 15 minutes after he departed El Paso International Airport, El Paso, Texas, and filed a visual flight rules flight plan to Presidio, Texas. The pilot informed an AFSS specialist that he intended to enter Mexican airspace for the purpose of flying over the Luis Leon Dam, but had no intentions of landing in Mexico. The pilot did not request a weather briefing for the flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135; however, he was informed by the specialist that visual flight rules were not recommended due to mountain obscuration.

    Onboard the airplane were the pilot, the United States and Mexican Commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), and the Executive Director for the Rio Grande Council of Governments. The purpose of the flight was to assess Rio Grande flood conditions at Presidio-Ojinaga and to coordinate joint US-Mexican efforts with local officials to address flood control concerns in the area due to heavy inflows to the Rio Grande from reservoirs inside Mexico as a result of recent storms.

    The airplane wreckage was located on September 17, 2008, by the Marfa Sector of the US Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Division, on the west side of the Sierra Grande Mountains, at an approximate elevation of 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The airplane came to rest approximately 100-150 feet below the top of a ridgeline on a heading of 055 degrees along victor-airway V81.

    A handheld Garmin 496 GPS was removed from the airplane wreckage and sent to the NTSB’s Research and Engineering Laboratory, Washington DC, for further examination and download.

    The investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Government of the Republic of Mexico. Any further information may be obtained from:

    Dirección de Investigación de Incidentes y Accidentes Aviacion
    Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC)
    Ave. 602 NUM. 161. COL. San Juan de Aragon 3RA
    Seccion C.P. 15620
    Delagacion Benustiano Carranza
    México, D. F.

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    Ojinaga, Mexico Crash 4 Fatalities

    What: a United States registered Cessna 421B, N7560Q,
    Where: 28 miles northwest of Ojinaga, Mexico
    When: September 15, 2008 1318 central daylight time
    Who: pilot and the three passengers were fatally injured
    Why: collided with mountainous terrain

    NTSB Identification: DFW08RA232
    Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
    Accident occurred Monday, September 15, 2008 in Ojinaga, Mexico
    Aircraft: Cessna 421B, registration: N7560Q
    Injuries: 4 Fatal.

    On September 15, 2008, approximately 1318 central daylight time, a United States registered Cessna 421B, N7560Q, was substantially damaged after it collided with mountainous terrain approximately 28 miles northwest of Ojinaga, Mexico, near the border town of Presidio, Texas. The air transport rated pilot and the three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to EAC Parts LLC, Springfield, Ohio, and operated by Volare Air Charter, El Paso, Texas. The pilot contacted the Fort Worth Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), Fort Worth, Texas, at 1016, approximately 15 minutes after he departed El Paso International Airport, El Paso, Texas, and filed a visual flight rules flight plan to Presidio, Texas. The pilot informed an AFSS specialist that he intended to enter Mexican airspace for the purpose of flying over the Luis Leon Dam, but had no intentions of landing in Mexico. The pilot did not request a weather briefing for the flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135; however, he was informed by the specialist that visual flight rules were not recommended due to mountain obscuration.

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    International Boundary and Water Commission Casualties found near Tex/Mex Border.

    Update

    Senator John Cornyn–on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee, former Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge– released a Statement regarding the International Boundary and Water Commission Plane Crash

    “Since the disappearance of this aircraft earlier in the week, all of us have been hoping and praying for a miracle. So it is with a profound sense of sadness to learn that the wreckage has been found, and that the lives of these four men have been lost. Commissioner Marin and Jake Brisbin Jr. were devoted public servants and proud Americans whose loss will be felt throughout the border region. Their hard work and commitment, along with that of Commissioner Herrera’s, reflected the spirit of goodwill and partnership that is shared by the United States and Mexico as we work together on our common goals. Their family and loved ones are in my prayers tonight as the entire border region remembers their lives and legacies, and mourns this tragic accident.”

    src=http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ForPress.NewsReleases&ContentRecord_id=75aeea20-802a-23ad-4b54-496c3c561d42

    What: Chartered Cessna 421
    Where: Border Patrol located the wreckage in a remote rugged section of the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico, about 20 miles northwest of Presidio.
    When: The plane was reported missing after it did not land on time Monday in Presidio. It was found shortly after noon Wednesday
    Who: Found deceased: leaders of the U.S. and Mexican sections of the IBWC, Carlos Marin of El Paso and Arturo Herrera, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexicom, Jake Brisbin Jr., executive director of the Rio Grande Council of Government and pilot Matthew Peter Juneau
    Why: The group had traveled to inspect flooding conditions in Presidio and Ojinaga, an aerial view of the Luis Leon Reservoir. Cause of the crash is not known but the pilot had signalled a problem after taking off Monday from El Paso, Mexico.

    AP had inadvertently listed the passengers as deceased when the plane disappeared and optimistically attempted to retract the story, hoping the passengers would be found alive. Sadly, there were no survivors

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    Fatal Plane Crash Near US/Mexican Border

    What: Cessna en route from El Paso, Mexico, heading for Presidio, Texas. Plane had been inspecting damage to a dam caused by a flood from the Conchos River.
    Where: northern Mexico in the desert near the Mexican border city of Ojinaga
    When: Monday
    Who: Four people died, including top U.S. and Mexican water officials: Arturo Herrera and Carlos Marin, executive director of the Rio Grande Council, Jake Brisbin, and the pilot, who was not identified
    Why: pilot had signalled a problem

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    Mexico: Aero JL Cessna Crash


    Click to view full size photo at abpic.co.uk
    Contact photographer George Trussel

    What: Aero JL Cessna 182 registration XB-AIL en route to Jalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
    Where: Xalatlaco, Estado de México, Estado de Mexico
    When: April 3, 2008
    Who: 1 dead, 3 injured
    Why: After losing altitude, the Cessna crashed in the Toluca Valley.

    45 year old Ricardo Medina died in the crash; Jose Adrián Hernandez, the pilot survived with injuries. The injured were airlifted to ABC Hospital in Mexico City.

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    Ciudad: Bell Helicopter Crash kills pilot


    Pictured: a Bell 47G
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Jonathan Parra

    What: single-engine Bell 47G helicopter en route from Brownsville Texas to Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
    Where: Ciudad Victoria, Mexico
    When: May 12, 2007 12:35 central daylight time
    Who: Commercial pilot
    Why: Single-engine Bell 47G helicopter collided with the terrain under unknown circumstances near Ciudad Victoria, State of Tamaulipas, in the Republic of Mexico. The helicopter was on a ferry flight to its new owner in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

    The flight originated in Brownsville, Texas, at 11:15, and was destined to an intermediate refueling stop at Ciudad Victoria, Mexico.

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    Mexico-Bound Taesa Flight 725


    Pictured: sister ship to XA-TKN, Taesa XA-SXV Douglas DC-9-14. This shot was taken in Mexico City at February 10, 1999
    Click to view full size photo at Airliners.net
    Contact photographer Gerard Helmer

    What: TAESA Douglas DC-9-31 turbojet en route from Uruapan to Mexico City
    Where:
    When: November 9, 1999
    Who: Uruapan
    Why: On November 9, 1999, a Douglas DC-9-31 turbojet transport airplane was destroyed on impact with terrain during initial takeoff climb from the Aeropuerto Nacional Licenciado y General Ignacio Lopez Rayon (UPN), near Uruapan, State of Michoacan, Mexico. Transportes Aereos Ejecutivos S.A. (TAESA),Flight number 725, was on a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Uruapan to Mexico City (MEX). The airline transport rated captain, the first officer, the 3 flight attendants, and the 13 passengers were fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight for which an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.