Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toluca Mexico
Wednesday, January 4, 1995 8:20 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On January 4, 1995, approximately 0820 local time, a Piper Aerostar 601P, N720EM, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Toluca, Mexico. The airplane, owned and operated by the private multi-engine rated pilot, was on a personal cross country flight. A VFR flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot and the one passenger received fatal injuries. According to preliminary information, received from the Government of Mexico Director General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), the airplane had departed the Cuernavaca, Mexico, airport, en route to Monterrey, Mexico, with an ultimate destination of its home base in Dallas, Texas. According to the initial reports, the pilot contacted ATC shortly after takeoff and reported a power loss in the left engine. He subsequently stated his intentions of attempting to land at the Toluca airport. Airport personnel observed the airplane over the airport on a heading of 350 degrees with the left propeller "dead." They then observed the airplane enter what was described as a "stall" and then descend out of control to ground impact. A post-crash fire ensued. Detailed weather data was not immediately available.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/4/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City TOLUCA
Event State --
Event Country MEXICO
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 0
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 4 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2003 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N720EM
NTSB Number FTW95WA081
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model AEROSTAR 601P
Aircraft Series Identifier AEROSTAR 6
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3621 TURTLE CREEK BLVD.
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75219
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MMCV
Departure City CUERNAVACA
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MMMY
Destination City MONTERREY
Destination State MX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --