Mexico City – Puebla – Mérida
Flight / Schedule
Mexico City – Puebla – Mérida
Aircraft
Douglas DC-3Registration
XA-DUK
MSN
11721
Year of Manufacture
1943
Operator
Mexicana de AviaciónDate
December 16, 1949 at 06:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Crash Location
Orizaba Veracruz
Region
Central America • Mexico
Coordinates
18.8727°, -97.1068°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On December 16, 1949 at 06:00 AM, Mexico City – Puebla – Mérida experienced a crash involving Douglas DC-3, operated by Mexicana de Aviación, with the event recorded near Orizaba Veracruz.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.
17 people were known to be on board, 17 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 13, passenger fatalities: 13, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. While cruising by night, the crew did not realize he was flying too low and did not distinguish the mountain. At 0600LT, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Cerro del Borrego located near Orizaba. All 17 occupants were killed.
Aircraft reference details include registration XA-DUK, MSN 11721, year of manufacture 1943.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 18.8727°, -97.1068°.
Fatalities
Total
17
Crew
4
Passengers
13
Other
0
Crash Summary
While cruising by night, the crew did not realize he was flying too low and did not distinguish the mountain. At 0600LT, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Cerro del Borrego located near Orizaba. All 17 occupants were killed.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
4
Passengers On Board
13
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 17
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Mexico City – Puebla – Mérida
Operator
Mexicana de AviaciónFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Mountains
Region / Country
Central America • Mexico
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
United States Army Air Service - USAAS
De Havilland DH.4
The pilot, sole on board, was performing a training flight at the border between US and Mexico. In flight, the engine failed and the pilot was forced to attempte an emergency landing near Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Mexicana de Aviación
Ford 4
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to a height of 100 feet, one of the engine failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed, killing all five occupants, among them pilot Dennis W. Taylor.
Mexicana de Aviación
Fairchild 71
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Panama. Occupant fate unknown.
Corporación Aeronautica de Transportes
Lockheed 5 Vega
En route from Matamoros to Mexico City and while overflying north of the State of Veracruz, the single engine aircraft hit the Cerro de Carbón located south of Papantla. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and all four occupants were killed. The aircraft was supposed to be registered XA-BHH but this registration was not taken up at the time of the accident.
Corporación Aeronautica de Transportes
Lockheed 5 Vega
Crashed in unknown circumstances near Monterrey and was destroyed by fire. Occupant fate unknown.
Government of the State of Yucatán
Sikorsky S-38
The seaplane named 'Mayab' crashed in unknown circumstances in Mérida, killing all five occupants.
