What happened
A maintenance verification flight departed from Cancún Airport at 09:22 local time. The crew, which included two pilots and three engineers, was conducting a series of engine tests and system checks following recent maintenance work. The intended flight path involved flying south toward Cozumel Island to perform an approach without landing before returning to the origin airport.
During the approach toward Cozumel, the aircraft encountered adverse weather characterized by rainfall and low cloud cover. While operating in these limited visibility conditions, the aircraft descended below the required altitude of 2,000 feet. The four-engine aircraft eventually struck the water approximately 22 km north of Cozumel Airport. The accident resulted in one fatality, specifically the captain, while the copilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries. Two additional passengers remained missing following the impact.
Findings
Investigations concluded that the crew executed an altitude loss maneuver under low visibility conditions using an excessive descent angle relative to the assigned flight level of 2,000 feet. This steep descent over water left insufficient margin for the crew to recover the aircraft before it impacted the sea surface.