On May 14, 1976, a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver (registration N3010F) operated by Drug Enforcement Administration - DEA was involved in an aviation accident near San Miguel Totolapan, Mexico in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck obstacles and trees during a left turn due to reduced visibility while flying at low altitude. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A single-engine plane crashed in a canyon near Mexico City while performing a low-altitude maneuver, resulting in the deaths of all three people on board.
What happened
A flight operating on behalf of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was conducting an official mission when it crashed in a canyon. The single-engine airplane had departed from Mexico City and was operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) at a low altitude. During the execution of a left turn, the aircraft encountered reduced visibility. As the pilot attempted to navigate the maneuver, the plane collided with trees and various obstacles before impacting the ground. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire.
Findings
All three fatalities occurred during the accident.
The crash was precipitated by diminished visibility while the aircraft was maneuvering at low altitude.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck obstacles and trees during a left turn due to reduced visibility while flying at low altitude.