ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 N903WA Mexico City-Juarez International Airport (MEX)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Wednesday 31 October 1979
Time:05:42
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC10 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10
Operator:Western Air Lines
Registration: N903WA
MSN: 46929/107
First flight: 1973
Total airframe hrs:24614
Cycles:7345
Engines: 3 General Electric CF6-6K
Crew:Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 11
Passengers:Fatalities: 63 / Occupants: 77
Total:Fatalities: 72 / Occupants: 88
Ground casualties:Fatalities: 1
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Mexico City-Juarez International Airport (MEX) (   Mexico)
Phase: Landing (LDG)
Nature:International Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX), United States of America
Destination airport:Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX/MMMX), Mexico
Flightnumber:2605
Narrative:
Flight 2605 departed Los Angeles at 01:40 for a flight to Mexico City. Because of refurbishing work on runway 23L, the flight was cleared for a runway 23R approach. Descend through a fog bank was continued below the 600 feet minimum for instrument approaches. The aircraft touched down with the left main gear in the grass left of 23L and with the right main gear on the runway shoulder. Go-around power was added and the nose lifted 10-11deg. The right main gear then collided with a truck located on the runway. The gear leg separated and struck the right tailplane and elevator, causing substantial damage. The aircraft banked to the right until it struck the left wing struck the cab of an excavator, 1500 m from the runway threshold, continued and crashed into a building and caught fire.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Non-compliance with the meteorological minima for the approach procedure, as cleared; failure to comply with the aircraft's operating procedures during the approach phase, and landing on a runway closed to traffic."

Classification:
Takeoff from wrong runway
Runway excursion

Sources:
» ICAO Circular 173-AN/109
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-80-59/60


Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 2 Safety Recommendations

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Photos

photo of DC-10-10-N903WA
accident date: 31-10-1979
type: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10
registration: N903WA
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Los Angeles International Airport, CA to Mexico City-Benito Juárez International Airport as the crow flies is 2484 km (1552 miles).

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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DC-10

  • 446 built
  • 7th loss
  • 4th fatal accident
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 Mexico
  • 2nd worst accident (at the time)
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