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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