1949 Mexicana DC-3 crash

The 1949 Mexicana DC-3 crash was an aviation accident on September 26, 1949, when a Mexicana de Aviacion Douglas DC-3 en route to Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, Mexico crashed into the Popocatépetl volcano, killing all 24 people on board. The aircraft, registered as XA-DUH,[1] was flying from Tapachula on a route that originated in Tuxtla Gutiérrez with intermediate stops in Ixtepec and Oaxaca. The dead included actress Blanca Estela Pavón and senator Gabriel Ramos Millan.[2] The DC-3's pilot was identified as Alfonso Reboul Lasscassies.[3]

1949 Mexicana DC-3 crash
Douglas DC-3 similar to accident aircraft
Accident
DateSeptember 26, 1949
SummaryControlled flight into terrain
SitePopocatépetl
Aircraft
Aircraft typeDouglas DC-3A
OperatorMexicana de Aviacion
RegistrationXA-DUH
Flight originTuxtla Gutiérrez
1st stopoverIxtepec, Oaxaca
2nd stopoverOaxaca City
3rd stopoverTapachula
DestinationMexico City
Occupants24
Passengers21
Crew3
Fatalities24
Injuries0
Survivors0

Accident edit

The DC-3 left Tapachula at 12:40 local time, for a one hour flight to Mexico City. According to investigations, the DC-3 flying the route that day faced severe turbulence as it arrived over Mexico City. The pilot communicated with an air force base, telling them they were near the volcano.[4]

The airplane was completely destroyed.[5]

Other information edit

The famous Mexican writer and later politician, Andrés Henestrosa, was supposed to be on the flight with his friend, senator Ramos Millan. Henestrosa had a premonition and he boarded a train to Mexico City instead.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-3A XA-DUH Mount Popocatepetl". Aviation Safety Network. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Blanca Estela Pavón y el campesino que informó su muerte a orillas del Popo" [Blanca Estela Pavón and the peasant who reported her death on the banks of the Popo] (in Spanish). 24 August 2017.
  3. ^ "La trágica muerte de Blanca Estela Pavón en el Popocatépetl: "presintió" que su fin se acercaba" [The tragic death of Blanca Estela Pavón in Popocatépetl: "she had a presentiment" that her end was approaching] (in Spanish). 19 May 2021.
  4. ^ Barrios, Carlos (2021-07-06). "Viaje sin regreso. Así quedó la avioneta donde Blanca Estela Pavón murió trágicamente" [Trip without return. This is how the plane where Blanca Estela Pavón tragically died] (in Spanish).
  5. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: El Triste Final De Blanca Estela Pavón. La Chorreada [The Sad Ending Of Blanca Estela Pavón. the squirt]. YouTube (in Spanish).
  6. ^ "Especial: Así murió Blanca Estela Pavón, entrañable compañera de Infante" [Special: This is how Blanca Estela Pavón, Infante's close companion, died] (in Spanish). 12 November 2019.