On October 15, 1997, a Douglas DC-9 (registration XA-DEJ) operated by AeroMéxico was involved in an aviation accident near Mexico City-Benito Juarez, Mexico during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The base of the empennage struck the runway surface during the landing process. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 7 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft experienced a heavy landing at Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport, resulting in structural damage to the empennage but no injuries.
What happened
During the landing phase at Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport, the aircraft made contact with the runway surface in a manner that caused the base of the empennage to strike the ground. Following the impact, the aircraft came to a complete stop on the runway.
All 72 occupants on board were able to evacuate the aircraft without injury. While there were no casualties, the impact caused significant damage to the airframe, and the aircraft was subsequently written off.
Findings
The primary cause of the damage was the impact of the tail section against the runway during the landing sequence.
Probable cause
The base of the empennage struck the runway surface during the landing process.
