On April 14, 1983, a Learjet 24 (registration N302EJ) operated by Executive Jet Aviation - USA was involved in an aviation accident near Puerto Vallarta-Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, Mexico during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck the ground short of the runway because the crew descended below the prescribed glide path during final approach. 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.
An aircraft crashed short of the runway threshold while performing its final approach to Puerto Vallarta-Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Airport.
What happened
During the final approach phase of flight into Puerto Vallarta-Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Airport, the flight crew initiated a descent that fell below the established glide path. This deviation caused the aircraft to make contact with the terrain before reaching the runway threshold.
The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were four injuries reported among the occupants of the plane, but no fatalities occurred during the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the sequence of events indicate that the primary factor leading to the crash was the crew's failure to maintain the required glide slope, which led to a controlled flight into terrain short of the landing area.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck the ground short of the runway because the crew descended below the prescribed glide path during final approach.