Mexico City - Monterrey - Laredo

On March 31, 1998 at 04:20 AM, Mexico City - Monterrey - Laredo experienced a crash involving Convair CV-240, operated by Linea Aérea Mexicana de Carga, with the event recorded near Zumpango Federal District of Mexico City.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a plain, valley crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. 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.

Aircraft reference details include registration XA-TAP, MSN 53-13, year of manufacture 1954.