Western Airlines Flight 2605
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Summary | |
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Date | October 31, 1979 |
Type | Pilot error |
Site | Benito Juarez Int'l Airport Mexico City, Mexico |
Passengers | 77 |
Crew | 11 |
Fatalities | 72 |
Survivors | 16 |
Aircraft type | McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 |
Operator | Western Airlines |
Tail number | N903WA |
Flight origin | Los Angeles |
Destination | Benito Juarez Int'l Airport |
On October 31, 1979, Western Airlines Flight 2605, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 flying from Los Angeles to Mexico City, landed on a closed runway at Benito Juarez International Airport in early morning fog and burst into flames after striking a parked automobile. 72 of the 89 people aboard, including 11 of 13 crew, were killed.[1][2]
The DC-10-10 had been assigned runway 23R but landed on the closed twin runway 23L.