What happened
A liaison flight operating from Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport toward Tuxtla Gutiérrez ended in a fatal accident when the twin engine aircraft, registration XC-UTQ, collided with the side of Orizaba Peak. The flight was traveling along airway V22 at an altitude of approximately 18,200 feet during a period characterized by good weather and visibility exceeding 25 km, though light mist was present.
The impact occurred on the mountain slope, with the wreckage later recovered at an elevation of 5,547 metres. There were four fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft; no survivors were reported.
Findings
Investigations into the crash determined that the accident was a result of controlled flight into terrain. While the standard minimum safe altitude for airway V22 is 16,000 feet, the specific area surrounding Orizaba Peak requires a higher minimum altitude of 21,000 feet. The crew failed to maintain this required clearance. Although visibility was high, the presence of light mist may have obscured the peak from the flight crew's view.