US cargo jet crashes in Mexico; pilot killed

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July 6, 2008 -- Updated 1955 GMT (0355 HKT)

 

American pilot killed in cargo jet crash in Mexico

 

(CNN) -- A cargo jet crashed Sunday just west of Monterrey, Mexico, killing the pilot and injuring the co-pilot, a company representative said.

 

The crash occurred at 2:15 a.m. as the McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-15 freighter approached the airport in Saltillo, Mexico, carrying a load of auto parts, said Donald McNeff, vice president of USA Jet Airlines.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board, which confirmed the death of the pilot, reported no one was injured on the ground. The co-pilot suffered severe burns. Both the pilot and the co-pilot were U.S. citizens.

 

The NTSB has sent a team of investigators to assist the Mexican government in its probe of the incident.

 

The jet's trip began at company headquarters at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, Michigan, a half hour west of Detroit, McNeff said.

 

It then flew to Hamilton, Ontario, where it picked up cargo and continued to Shreveport, Louisiana, where it cleared customs, he said.

 

It was close to the airport grounds in Saltillo in clear weather when the crash occurred, he said.

 

USA Jet Airlines, founded more than 20 years ago, carried cargo across the Americas, McNeff said.

 

About five years ago it added passenger service. It has a 22-plane fleet, including the aircraft involved in the crash.

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More updates:

 

from Aviation Herald

 

Crash: USA Jet Airlines DC91 at Saltillo on Jul 6th 2008, crashed short of the runway

By Simon Hradecky, created Sunday, Jul 6th 2008 19:29Z, last updated Sunday, Jul 6th 2008 23:17Z

 

A USA Jet Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-9-15, registration N199US performing freight flight JUS199 from Hamilton,ON (Canada) to Plan de Guadalupe International Airport in Saltillo (Mexico) via Shreveport Regional,LA (USA) with 2 crew, crashed while approaching the airport of Saltillo and burst into flames. The captain was killed, the first officer has been brought to hospital in critical condition.

 

Assistant Secretary of "Protección Civil estatal", Sigismund Doguin Martinez, said, the airplane came to rest at kilometer 1.5 of Libramiento "José López Portillo" and 200 meters from the Mercury Cargo and DHL hangars, blocking one lane of the road.

 

The airplane was carrying 3.6 tons of automotive parts.

 

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/JUS199/...0440Z/KSHV/MMIO

 

Metars (several Metar Reports around the time of the crash missing):

 

MMIO 061240Z 00000KT 11/2SM BR BKN005 OVC008 17/15 A3007 RMK 8/7//

MMIO 061220Z 00000KT 1SM BR OVC004 17/15 A3005 RMK 8/7//

MMIO 060340Z 36006KT 8SM SCT015 SCT120 17/15 A3004 RMK 8/130 HZY CI

MMIO 060240Z 36005KT 8SM SCT015 SCT120 18/16 A3003 RMK 8/130 HZY CI

MMIO 060140Z 03005KT 8SM SCT015 SCT120 19/16 A3002 RMK 8/230 HZY CI VC RA

 

Official Instrument Approach Plates are currently not available online, because the AIS Site of Mexico, http://www.seneam.gob.mx is off the air.

 

Outdated plates showing the standing of December 2007, modified for the use of a Virtual Airline, but good enough to get an impression of the airport, are available at: http://www.vatmex.com/charts/MMIO.zip

 

 

 

RTT News (http://www.rttnews.com/content/generalnews...1&Id=647241) mentioned that:

cargo plane carrying auto parts for a General Motors Corp. plant in Mexico

 

 

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A surveillance camera caught the final moments of the airplane

 

Looks like she was tumbling in mid-air. Maybe after she hit the wires