Incident Overview
A flight originating from Mexico City arrived at the Tijuana-Rodriguez Airport without incident during the initial descent. However, the crew encountered a technical issue with one of the main landing gear assemblies, which was not locked in the down position. The captain elected to enter a holding pattern over Tijuana to address the situation, but a fuel shortage necessitated an immediate landing shortly thereafter.
Landing and Evacuation
During the landing touchdown, the affected main gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to veer and slide for several dozen yards before coming to a stop. Despite the severity of the landing, all 82 occupants evacuated the aircraft safely. Post-incident assessment determined that the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Official Findings
The probable cause of the accident was the failure of a landing gear that was not locked down upon landing.