No fatalities

1973-10-20: Boeing 727-100 (XA-SEN) — Mexicana de Aviación — Mazatlán, Mexico

Mazatlán, MexicoLanding (descent or approach)

On October 20, 1973, a Boeing 727-100 (registration XA-SEN) operated by Mexicana de Aviación was involved in an aviation accident near Mazatlán, Mexico during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck the ground short of the runway threshold during its final approach. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 15 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781232168Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 727-100
Photo: Pete Macklin / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

An aircraft experienced a ground impact during its final approach to Mazatlán, resulting in no fatalities among the 123 people on board.

What happened

During an approach to Mazatlán-General Rafael Buellar Airport, the flight crew initiated their descent following a routine departure from Denver-Stapleton Airport. As the aircraft was on short final approach, it made contact with the ground before reaching the runway.

The impact caused the loss of the aircraft's undercarriage. The plane eventually came to a stop approximately 1,500 meters before the runway threshold. Despite the significant damage to the airframe, all 123 occupants were successfully evacuated from the wreckage without injury.

Findings

The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss. The primary factor in the accident was the impact with the ground during the final approach phase.

Probable cause

The aircraft struck the ground short of the runway threshold during its final approach.