On January 6, 1972, an Avro 748 (registration XA-SEV) operated by SAESA - Servicios Aéreos Especiales was involved in an aviation accident near Chetumal, Mexico during takeoff. 23 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: An unidentified explosion occurred on board the aircraft during the climb phase. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft crashed into a swamp approximately 40 km northwest of Chetumal shortly after departure, resulting in no survivors among the 23 people on board.
What happened
Shortly after departing from Chetumal Airport, an aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent during its initial climb. The plane impacted a marshy region situated roughly 40 km northwest of the airport. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe.
There were 23 fatalities recorded in the accident, as none of the occupants survived the crash.
Findings
Preliminary information suggests that an unidentified explosion may have occurred aboard the aircraft during the flight phase. The specific origin or cause of this onboard explosion has not yet been determined.
Probable cause
An unidentified explosion occurred on board the aircraft during the climb phase.