Accident Details
On October 17, 2008, at 1308 central daylight time (CDT), a Cessna 402C with Mexican registration XC-HAQ departed from Runway 02 at Del Norte Airport (MMAN), near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The aircraft was operated by the state government of Baja California Sur on a cross-country flight to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. Onboard were the pilot, copilot, and one passenger, all of whom were fatally injured.
Flight History
After departure, the aircraft was climbing out to cruise when radar contact was lost at 1315. The wreckage was located at approximately 1820 in a mountainous region near the village of Garcia, Nuevo Leon. Local air traffic controllers had cleared the Cessna to a heading of 254 degrees, to climb to 12,500 feet, and to maintain visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Weather at the time was reported as a broken ceiling at 3,000 feet.
Terrain Impact
The airplane was found to have impacted a vertical face on Cerro Del Fraile Mountain at approximately 5,700 feet mean sea level (MSL). The impact site was 11 nautical miles from the point of departure on an approximate magnetic heading of 254 degrees. The minimum altitude required to clear the mountain was 7,000 feet MSL.
Investigation
The investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Government of the Republic of Mexico, specifically the Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes, Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC). Further information may be obtained from the DGAC.