NTSB says: Wake Turbulence From 767 Likely Caused Mexican Lear Crash

The crash of a Learjet in Mexico City that was originally suspected to be the result of terrorism and sabotage has now been determined to be the result of wake turbulence caused by improper inflight aircraft management.

The following information has just been released by the NTSB. It was submitted to Silver Wings by Jim Davis.

US and Mexican investigators speculate the downing of a Learjet 45 in Mexico City on November 4 was caused by the combination of wake turbulence from a landing airliner and the pilots’ unfamiliarity with the aircraft.

The plane’s cockpit data recorder, analyzed by the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, DC, revealed the pilots' last words – "Diosito" (My little God) – in their struggle to regain control of the aircraft as it encountered severe wake turbulence.

Theories of sabotage have been all but ruled out in the deaths of all nine persons on board, including Mexico's Interior Minister, Juan Camilo Mouriño, and José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos, well known for his fight against drug cartels.

Pilot Martín Oliva, 39, and co-pilot Alvaro Sánchez, 58, have been defended by their families as responsible, serious professionals, the Dallas Morning News reported.

But at a news conference, Mexico's Communications and Transportation Minister Luis Telléz said, "The investigation revealed apparent deficiencies in the training and certification process of both [pilots]," and alleged the pilots failed to follow ATC instructions.

As the Learjet approached Mexico City, it was sequenced behind a Boeing 767-300 and given instructions to reduce airspeed in order to maintain proper spacing behind the airliner, Telléz said. But the pilots took over a minute to comply with the speed reduction, putting their plane just 4 nm behind the much larger 767.

Investigators said that wake turbulence from the 767 caused the Learjet to crash within 30 seconds, evidenced by the plane's Cockpit Voice Recorder:

Pilot: "That one's got some turbulence."

Co-pilot: "Hey man."

Pilot: "Hey [expletive]."

Later:

Pilot: "Alvaro, what do we do, Alvaro?"

Co-pilot: "Hand it over to me, hand it over to me, hand it over to me."

Pilot: "It's yours Alvaro."

Pilot: "[expletive]"

Pilot: "No, Alvaro."

Co-pilot: "Diosito."

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Our November Luncheon - What A Wonderful Gathering

If you missed our November luncheon meeting, you missed a wonderful event replete with fascinating topics, entertaining videos, incredible speakers, lots of interaction between members and guests ... and an excellent lunch prepared and served by the top notch team at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.

Carroll Adams, a Pan Am World Airways pilot, talked about an alleged act of air piracy by "renegade" Japanese Naval officers purported to have taken place 70 years ago. I say "purported" because neither the US government nor the Japanese government are willing to discuss the event.

One thing is known for certain - that Pan Am's Hawaii Clipper disappeared while on a Pacific run, and according to witnesses, the passengers and aircrew wound up murdered and buried face down on Truk Island. The burial site was then covered over with a heavy layer of cement and the Japanese built a hospital over it which they used during their occupation. The huge Truk Lagoon became Imperial Japan's principal naval base in the South Pacific during World War II.

We then watched a ten minute video which chronicled the history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (The WASP) after which Gayle Reed (age 90) and Lorraine Rodgers (age 88), two WASP who ferried both fighters and bombers during World War II, shared some of their best stories about that action-packed period in world history.

We also had a lot of fun debunking a very popular YouTube video in which an aerobatic pilot "looses" a wing and manages to land his stricken plane safely. Ron David also showed another "spoof" video that had everyone laughing in the aisles.

In spite of the fact that the event was held a day earlier than usual, 58 reservations were received and 64 members and friends actually showed up. We had only one no-show.

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Mark Your Calendars For 2009

Here are the dates of our first five meetings during 2009: January 22nd, March 25th, May 28th, July 23rd, and September 24th. We will announce the date for our November, 2009 meeting in January.

Silver Wings Speakers Luncheon: Air Piracy & WASPs, November 14, 2009

We hope you will be able to attend. If you haven't yet done so, your deadline for reservations has been extended by one day to Thursday, November 14th.

The Meeting at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington will take place on November 19th at 11AM. Our primary subjects of discussion will include a report on the first alleged act of air piracy, which occurred 70 years ago, a short video about the WASP followed by a Q&A with two former Womens Air Force Service Pilots, and a brief forum on plans for our Fraternity's coming year.

Air Piracy has been a hot topic lately. Carroll Adams, a retired Pan Am pilot, will shed light on what may have been the first, and certainly one of the bloodiest, hijackings in history: the seizure in 1938 of Pan Am's Hawaii Clipper by "renegade" Japanese Naval personnel. The complement of passengers and crew from the Hawaii Clipper were murdered, buried face down and hidden on Guam under a thick layer of cement. Adams is certain he saw the Hawaii Clipper at War's end in Japanese livery.

History of the WASP an exclusive ten minute film about the Women Airforce Service Pilots will be followed by a Q & A with two incredible WASP veterans: Lorraine Rodgers (age 88) and Gayle Reed (Age 90).

We will also hold a brief forum on the coming year for Silver Wings Over Washington.

It is vital that we receive your confirmation for this luncheon by mid-day on the 14th.

Phone or email us at Ron and Nour David (202) 588-9055 rondavid@gmail.com or Joan Stalk (703) 451-4181 joans.hangar@verizon.net

Luncheon cost is $26

Please mark your calendars. Here are the dates of our first five meetings during 2009: January 22nd, March 25th, May 28th, July 23rd, and September 24th. We will announce the date for our November, 2009 meeting during the luncheon on the 19th.